NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI China: Wuhan reach AFC Women’s Champions League final

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China’s Wuhan Jiangda advanced to the final of the inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League, following a commanding 2-0 win over Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City FC on Wednesday.

    Wang Shuang (top) of Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC vies for the ball during the semifinal between Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC of China and Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC of Vietnam at the 2024/2025 AFC Women’s Champions League in Wuhan, China, May 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

    Cheered on by nearly 5,000 home supporters, Wuhan took control of the match early. The breakthrough came in the 34th minute, when local star Wang Shuang pounced on a poor clearance and curled a stunning strike into the net.

    The momentum continued in the second half. Just nine minutes after the restart, Song Duan unleashed a long-range shot from outside the penalty area. The ball dipped sharply, leaving the Ho Chi Minh City goalkeeper with no chance and sealing Wuhan’s place in the final.

    “The pressure forced our players to grow, and they rose to the challenge united as a team to secure this 2-0 victory,” said Chang Weiwei, Wuhan’s head coach.

    The squad has endured an exhausting schedule this season, simultaneously competing in the Chinese Women’s Super League, the National Sports Games’ qualifiers and the AFC Women’s Champions League.

    “It put a great challenge to our physical condition. Hopefully, we’ll recover to our best state in the following two days and bring a spectacular match to our fans,” said Wang.

    Wuhan maintained much of the same lineup from its quarterfinal clash against Japanese powerhouse Urawa Red Diamonds. Despite being under pressure in that match, the team held its nerve and triumphed in a dramatic penalty shootout, knocking out the tournament’s favorite.

    The final will be held on Saturday, where the five-time Chinese Women’s Super League champion will face either South Korea’s Hyundai Steel Red Angels or Australia’s Melbourne City FC.

    “We’ll analyze the other semifinal tonight. Once I know our opponent, we’ll make tailored tactics. But whoever the competitor will be, we’ll stay true to our style and fight until the final whistle. Hopefully, we’ll finish the journey with no regrets,” Chang added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Liu Yang wins third straight rings national title

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Two-time Olympic champion Liu Yang won his third straight rings national title at the 2025 National Gymnastics Championships in Nanning, capital of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on Wednesday.

    Liu, the rings champion in Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games, stepped under the rings as the last gymnast to compete. He snatched 14.966 points with the highest difficulty score, after You Hao put on a flawless routine at 14.733 points.

    “I didn’t train that much after the Paris Olympics. But I upgraded my difficulty score and my execution of skills and landing were perfect today,” said Liu.

    Local favorite Lan Xingyu settled with bronze medal at 14.466 points.

    Veteran Liu Jinru was crowned as women’s vault national champion. Her two jumps scored an average of 14.000 points and added 0.20 points bonus for double directions.

    “I retired years ago to focus on my university studies. But after graduation, I really missed the gym, so last year I went back to my coach and asked to resume training,” said the 24-year-old Asian champion.

    Elsewhere, Yang Fanyuwei earned her first national gold on uneven bars, Wang Haoyu claimed men’s floor gold and Hong Yanming won pommel horse.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s knowledge of Russia is dwindling. We need to start training our future experts now

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Richardson, Visiting Fellow, Centre for European Studies, Australian National University

    Shutterstock

    Russia’s possible interest in basing long-range aircraft at an Indonesian airbase not far from Australian shores shook up a relatively staid election campaign last month.

    The news, which Jakarta immediately dismissed, caught many by surprise in Australia. It shouldn’t have. While Indonesia’s non-aligned stance makes granting such a request highly unlikely, Russia’s defence and political ties with Southeast Asia have actually been deepening over the last decade, at least.

    All of this has gone largely unnoticed in Australia. And this highlights a significant problem: Australia has something of a knowledge deficit when it comes to Russia. This is in part due to the fact our expertise on the country has been hollowed out since the Cold War ended.

    Russia’s power plays are expanding globally

    The Soviet Union loomed large in Australia’s consciousness during the Cold War, if not high on its list of priorities.

    Today, Russia remains a major, albeit slightly diminished, power. It is a nuclear weapons state (it has more than 5,500 nuclear warheads, the most of any nation) and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. It is also active in other forums of importance to Australia, such as the G20 and APEC, as well as in issues like arms control and climate change.

    Most worryingly, under President Vladimir Putin, Russia will no doubt continue to be a disruptor on the international stage.

    Russia’s political and security elite perceive the country to be a great power with interests and a right to influence in every part of the world. Just to drive that message home, a giant sign quoting Putin last year read: “Russia’s borders do not end anywhere”.

    Even before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow perpetuated an ideology that it is at war with the West. This idea is a key source of legitimacy for Putin’s regime. Russia’s hostile actions against Western democracies continue to proliferate. These include disinformation campaigns, cyber attacks, election interference and, in some regions, sabotage and assassinations.

    This isn’t focused entirely on Europe and the US, either. Russia has an active – and expanding – military presence in the Asia-Pacific. Russia’s Pacific Fleet, based in Vladivostok, now has more than 20 nuclear and conventional submarines and frequently engages in training exercises with the Chinese navy.

    More “normal” relations with Russia will not return soon. A lasting peace in Ukraine seems unlikely if any interim ceasefire deal leaves large swathes of the country under a brutal Russian occupation regime. Putin is unlikely to let go of his ambitions to subjugate Ukraine and limit its independence.

    While sanctions have made it harder for Moscow to conduct the war, the Russian economy also does not appear in danger of imminent collapse.

    Meanwhile, Southeast Asia has proven susceptible to Russia’s anti-Western narratives, particularly when it comes to the claim that the Russian invasion was provoked by Western policies and threats. Most regional governments have been loathe to criticise the invasion and the leaders of Indonesia and Malaysia have made state visits to Moscow despite it.

    Russia has had similar success in pushing disinformation through orchestrated social media campaigns across the Global South, including in parts of Africa where Australian companies have made significant investments in the mining sector.

    Reviving Russia literacy

    All these trends point to the need to enhance Australia’s modest level of Russia literacy, both in language skills and broader country expertise.

    This was the key message of a recent conference on “Russian activities and Australian interests in the Indo-Pacific”, hosted by the ANU’s Centre for European Studies. It was attended by a wide range of government officials, academics, analysts and foreign diplomats.

    Australia once had strong Russian-language departments at several universities. It also boasted numerous Russian and Soviet scholars of global repute, such as Harry Rigby, Sheila Fitzpatrick, Graeme Gill, Stephen Wheatcroft, Geoffrey Jukes and Stephen Fortescue.

    Today, the number of university departments teaching Russian language, history or politics has dwindled, with only the University of Melbourne offering a major in Russian language and literature. That university has also added a much-welcomed fellowship in Ukrainian studies.

    And Australia has few lecturers or researchers in international relations, history or social sciences with Russia expertise, including language skills.

    We can – and should – return our university Russian offerings to the levels we had 30 years ago. This can be done without cutting back on the existing expansive focus on other countries and regions. There is also scope for greater focus on Russia and the former Soviet countries in government.

    It will hard for Russia to shake off the pattern of failed government reform efforts defaulting to strong, centralised rule with imperial ambitions and an anti-Western posture.

    But moves towards reform could eventually bear fruit (again) when Putin leaves the stage. If this were to happen, Russia would remain a major power with a rich cultural legacy and many common interests with Australia in areas such as natural resources. There is also a significant Russian diaspora in Australia.

    For Australia, it is a mistake to think of Russia as somewhere far away. Both in simple geography – all state capitals except Perth are closer to Vladivostok than to New Delhi – and in terms of the interplay of global interests.

    Or, as British commentator Keir Giles puts it: “You may not be interested in Russia, but Russia is interested in you.”

    Jon Richardson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Australia’s knowledge of Russia is dwindling. We need to start training our future experts now – https://theconversation.com/australias-knowledge-of-russia-is-dwindling-we-need-to-start-training-our-future-experts-now-256445

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Compression tights and tops: do they actually benefit you during (or after) exercise?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Singh, Research Fellow, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia

    Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock

    You’ve seen them in every gym: tight black leggings, neon sleeves and even knee-length socks.

    Compression gear is everywhere, worn by weekend joggers, elite athletes and influencers striking poses mid-squat.

    But do compression garments actually improve your performance, or is the benefit mostly in your head?

    Let’s dive into the history, the science and whether they are worth your money.

    From hospitals to hashtags

    Compression garments didn’t start in sport. They were originally used in medical settings to improve blood flow in patients recovering from surgery or with circulation issues such as varicose veins.

    Doctors found tight garments that applied gentle pressure to limbs could help move blood and reduce swelling.

    But in the late 1990s and early 2000s, athletes, scientists and sports brands began experimenting with compression wear in training and competition.

    Companies such as SKINS, 2XU, and Under Armour entered the scene with bold promises: improved performance, reduced fatigue and faster recovery.

    Then, by the 2010s, compression wear wasn’t just for athletes – it had become a fashion statement.

    Social media helped drive the trend: influencers wore these items in gym selfies, TikTokers praised the sleek, sculpted look. And with the rise of athleisure, compression garments became everyday apparel, blending fitness with fashion.

    What are these garments supposed to do?

    Compression gear is designed to fit tightly against the skin and apply gentle, consistent pressure to muscles. The big claims made by manufacturers include:

    You’ll hear gym-goers say they feel “more supported” or “less sore” after using compression gear.

    Some even report improved posture or a mental boost – like stepping into a superhero suit.

    What the science says

    Research into compression garments has been growing steadily and the results are mixed – but interesting.

    A 2013 major meta-analysis reported moderate benefits across several recovery markers, including lower levels of creatine kinase (a sign of muscle damage) and less delayed-onset muscle soreness up to 72 hours after exercise.

    A 2016 review found compression garments reduced muscle soreness and swelling and boosted muscle power and strength. These improvements were up to 1.5 times greater (compared to people who didn’t wear compression garments) in some cases.

    Building on this, a 2017 review found people who wore compression gear recovered strength more quickly, with noticeable improvements within eight to 24 hours after a workout. Strength recovery scores were around 60% higher in those wearing compression gear compared to those who didn’t.

    But the findings are not consistent. A 2022 review of 19 trials found little effect on strength during the first few days post-exercise.

    And when it comes to actual performance, a comprehensive 2025 review of 51 studies concluded compression garments do not enhance race time or endurance performance in runners. And while they may reduce soft tissue vibration (which might feel more comfortable), they offered no meaningful edge in speed, stamina or oxygen use.

    Overall, in simpler terms: compression gear may help you recover faster but don’t expect it to turn you into an Olympic sprinter.

    When compression gear might help (and when it won’t)

    Here are some situations when compression garments can be genuinely useful:

    But don’t count on them to:

    • improve your times: there’s no strong evidence they boost speed or endurance

    • make you stronger: while some research has noted improvements in strength and power, this won’t necessarily have a noticeable effect on your athletic performance

    • replace training or good sleep: recovery still depends on the basics – rest, hydration and nutrition.

    So, should you wear them?

    Compression outfits won’t magically transform your body or training results. But they aren’t a waste of money either.

    If they make you feel more comfortable, confident or supported, that’s a valid reason to wear them. The psychological boost alone can be enough to enhance motivation or focus.

    And when it comes to post-exercise recovery, the evidence is solid enough to justify keeping a pair in your gym bag.

    Think of them like a good pair of shoes. They won’t run the race for you, but they might make the journey a little smoother.

    And if you’re just wearing them for the outfit photo on Instagram? That’s fine, too. Sometimes, confidence is the best workout gear of all.

    Ben Singh does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Compression tights and tops: do they actually benefit you during (or after) exercise? – https://theconversation.com/compression-tights-and-tops-do-they-actually-benefit-you-during-or-after-exercise-255719

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Micro-credentials funding and fees

    Source:

    Funding for micro-credentials
    We want to invest in micro-credentials that meet the needs of industries and communities, and support government priorities delivered by highly capable TEOs. To be funded, micro-credentials need to have a clearly established industry or community need, be tightly focused on a set of skills and have stand-alone value.
    Not all quality-assured micro-credentials can be funded by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) as we have to prioritise how we distribute funding. Our investment in micro-credentials will complement rather than replace existing privately funded training. Alongside the micro-credentials we fund, we expect employers, industries, and learners will cover the full cost of others themselves. 
    We are open to funding micro-credentials at any level of the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF), but we want to ensure that learners are supported to make good choices, including enrolling in full qualifications where appropriate.
    For more information on the micro-credential funding conditions, see the DQ1-2, DQ3-7 and DQ7-10 funding conditions for the relevant year.
    Eligible organisations
    All TEOs eligible for Delivery on the NZQCF funding at any level (DQ1-2, DQ3-7 (non-degree), and DQ7-10) can apply for funding to deliver micro-credentials.
    If your organisation is not currently approved to receive any funding from us via an Investment Plan, you will first need to apply for funding as a new provider. For more information about this process, see Application to receive TEC funding.
    Talk to us early
    If you are a TEO creating a new micro-credential, we encourage you to discuss your ideas with us in the early stages of your micro-credential’s development, before submitting it to the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), if you hope to receive TEC funding for its delivery. We will advise you if it is something we could potentially fund before you invest resources into developing it.
    How to apply
    The current TEC criteria and guidelines for the approval of TEO-developed micro-credentials came into effect on 1 November 2022. All applications must meet the approval criteria and use the form below: 

    How to submit your application
    Please read the criteria and guidelines carefully and submit your completed application using DXP Ngā Kete. Notify us by emailing micro-credentials@tec.govt.nz.  
    You can apply at any time. We expect to advise outcomes within six weeks. It may take longer than this in some circumstances or if we require additional information.
    WDC-developed micro-credentials
    The criteria and guidelines outlined on this page do not apply to Workforce Development Council (WDC)-developed micro-credentials as those are not subject to specific TEC approval. Where a TEO wishes to gain accreditation to deliver a micro-credential developed by a WDC, the TEO needs to apply to NZQA. If granted accreditation by NZQA, the TEO can then follow the standard TEC process for new qualifications by entering the micro-credential in Services for Tertiary Organisations (STEO).
    If you have any questions about this, please call us on 0800 601 301 or email customerservice@tec.govt.nz.
    Fee limit on micro-credentials
    Information on fee limits to micro-credentials, including exception criteria, can be found at Fee cap for micro-credentials.
    Re-prioritising funding from existing allocation
    If we approve a micro-credential for funding, we expect that in most cases TEOs will re-prioritise funding from within their existing allocation. To do this, you will need to make an in-year Plan Amendment via a MoP change in DXP Ngā Kete.
    You can increase the number of learners you enrol in the micro-credential over time (and make any necessary changes to the MoP) but you would need to ensure that the micro-credential continues to meet the priorities set out in the Tertiary Education Strategy, Plan Guidance and Supplementary Plan Guidance in force at the time of the proposed increase.

    If we approve your micro-credential for funding and you would like to seek additional funding for it, you can submit an additional funding request either at the time of your micro-credential application, or after it is approved. You will need to follow the standard process for additional funding. You can do that as part of the annual investment round or as an in-year additional funding request.
    We may consider investing additional funding to support micro-credentials if there is an exceptionally compelling case for strong employer or community demand and a clear contribution to government priorities.
    In considering further funding, we will look at the performance of existing provision by the TEO, including whether their existing allocation can be reprioritised from lower performing provision to the micro-credential.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal Crash, Dansey Road, Ngongotahā Valley

    Source: New Zealand Police


    Location:

    Bay of Plenty

    Police can confirm one person has died following a two-vehicle crash on Dansey Road, Ngongotahā Valley.

    Two others involved in the crash around 8am were also injured – one had serious injuries and one had minor injuries.

    The Serious Crash Unit is in attendance.

    Dansey Road remains closed and diversions are in place onto State Highway 5.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray Slams Secretary Burgum’s Plans to Fire National Park Staff, Sell Off Public Lands, & Slash Funding for Tribes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray: “Our public lands are not for sale. Protecting our wilderness, living up to our tribal obligations, keeping our communities safe—it’s just not negotiable. It’s actually a core reason your Department does exist—and these have been places with strong, bipartisan support.”
    NEW REPORT: President Trump’s Attacks on National Park Service are Hurting Communities Across Washington State
    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks and questioning***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of Interior (DOI), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, slammed Secretary Doug Burgum’s efforts to fire staff across the Department, sell off our public lands and abandon the National Park Service’s conservation mission, and betray the United States’ obligation to Tribes with devastating proposed funding cuts. Also today, Senator Murray released a new report on how President Trump’s attacks on the National Park Service are hurting communities in Washington state.
    In opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:
    “Washington state is home to a number of pristine public lands—people travel from all over the world to experience my state, and Oregon.
    “Secretary Burgum, our public lands are not for sale. Protecting our wilderness, living up to our tribal obligations, keeping our communities safe—it’s just not negotiable. It’s actually a core reason your Department does exist—and these have been places with strong, bipartisan support.
    “So, I’m really concerned that one of the first things you did was make deep, painful cuts at our national parks, and start talking about our public lands kind of like they are a piggy bank.
    “I do not want to tell future generations: ‘See that that river of sludge—it used to be clear, it used to have salmon. See that charred mountainside—it used to be a forest with campgrounds and trails. See that smokestack? That used to be a National Park.’
    “I worry because it feels to me like your vision could lead to that with your budget cuts, and mass firings, and reorganization.
    “And I’m deeply concerned about the proposed cuts to programs and funding that our Tribes rely on, the mass firing of park rangers—they’re the people who help visitors, they clear trails, they clean the bathrooms, and they respond to emergencies.
    “As I watch this and hear from folks, and see what’s happening, on top of gutting bedrock environmental protections, I just don’t see how your Department can execute the law without staff in place.”
    [HURRICANE RIDGE REBUILD]
    Senator Murray began by her questioning by discussing the rebuild of Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge in Washington State: “I wanted to start by touching briefly on Hurricane Ridge, a place that as you know is very special to people in my home state of Washington and visitors who come from all over the world. I know that you visited Olympic National Park last week—and you saw how scenic it is, and a hint of how brutal the weather can be. It’s called Hurricane Ridge for a reason. The Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge burned down in a tragic fire two years ago. Congress delivered the emergency funding necessary to rebuild it last year. In the execution report that you delivered to the Committee in February—the disaster funding spend plan—you included the money for Olympic National Park, which I understand is for Hurricane Ridge. Do you have any updates on the next steps for that project?”
    Secretary Burgum said, “No, but I did have an opportunity with a park superintendent and some of the lead people who actually work at hurricane ridge and thankfully there was not 70 mile-per-hour wind, it was beautiful, sunny, calm, gorgeous. But I got to see the site where the fire had happened and was able to meet with them regarding the plans they have. It looks like a great project.”
    “Good, and can you just keep my staff and me updated on that project as it moves forward, it’s really important to all of us,” Senator Murray replied.
    [SWEEPING STAFF CUTS AT NATIONAL PARKS]
    Senator Murray turned her questioning to the sweeping staffing reductions taking place under Secretary Burgum’s leadership at DOI, “In your short tenure, you have overseen significant staffing reductions—over 10 percent—and reorganization efforts across the Department of the Interior, with I understand more firings to come. The National Park Service has lost 18 percent of its staff. You managed to fire the only plumber at Mount Rainier National Park. There is just nothing efficient about that kind of management. You’ve also decided that what few staff remain at our National Parks will focus solely on visitor services—that really abandons the conservation mission, which no doubt will lead to the degradation of our natural resources and our parks. On May 8th, five former NPS directors—from Republican and Democratic administrations alike—raised really grave concerns about these decisions. They wrote that the National Park Service’s founding statute requires conservation at our parks so they will be ‘unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.’ We need trail guides and biologists. We need EMTs and geologists. We need snow plow drivers and historians. Mr. Secretary, do you acknowledge that you have a statutory obligation to conserve our national parks? A simple yes or no here please.”
    Secretary Burgum responded, “Yes.”
    “Well, it just feels to me watching this that you are abandoning that obligation with your staffing cuts. Your job is to carry out the laws that Congress has passed, not as you wish they were written. Let me ask you, how many people do you plan to fire from the National Park Service?” Senator Murray pressed.
    “Let me respond by saying I’m going to repeat myself, that there is an opportunity to have more people working in our parks in all the positions that you described, Senator, and to have less people working for the National Park Service. We just have to accept that this math, that if you have a situation where slightly less than 50% of the people actually work in the park, that everything you said, I can increase the number of people in the park but still decrease the number of people on payroll at the National Park Service because we are eliminating overhead back office, IT, and HR roles,” answered Secretary Burgum in part.
    Senator Murray pushed back, “It’s huge cuts. The people you’re talking about are actually the support staff, and when you cut support staff, that’s not efficient. How does someone drive a snowplow if you don’t have a staffer that makes sure that the government gets the best deal to buy that snowplow? There is many, many detailed people that you are talking about that actually make sure that the spending is efficient, that the people are efficient. We all know how important staff is, you can’t survive without them. Those are the people that you are letting go. We can’t be efficient if they are not there.”
    Secretary Burgum tried to change the subject, “Are you suggesting that the National Park Service today is operating at peak efficiency?”
    “I would suggest that I welcome any suggestions to us about how to be efficient, but just mass across-the-board cuts and firing is really going to not increase efficiency at our parks. And that, I think, we all should be very concerned about,” Senator Murray responded, emphasizing that mass firings are not the answer.
    “But if the goal is for us to have more people working in the parks, you’re comfortable if I could get to a spot where I have more people working—” Secretary Burgum again avoided the question.
    Senator Murray said, “You show me what employees you are leaving behind that don’t support someone that makes sure that they have the equipment that they need that is up to date, it is running. Those kinds of things, you can’t just cut those people and expect people to be out in the national park without somebody who is making sure that their equipment is safe, that their hours are maintained, all the things that it takes to run a place. Our national parks are huge. They take a lot of people to run.”
    Secretary Burgum again dodged, failing to state the number of employees he expects to lose at NPS.
    Senator Murray then followed up to state: “One thing that I’m really concerned about, and everyone should be, is our national wildland firefighting efforts and countless staff who provide the necessary support there. For example, firefighters put their lives at risk. Without the support they need in many different roles, it just gets more dangerous. Those are the kinds of people I’m extremely concerned about, that without thought or really smart moves, that we are going to be putting our parks at risk.”
    [DEVASTATING PROPOSED FUNDING CUTS FOR TRIBES]
    Senator Murray then asked about proposed budget cuts at DOI, such as cuts of $617 million from core programs at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, $107 million from the BIA’s law enforcement office, and $187 million—nearly eliminating—funds to build Tribal schools, “You have a role in fulfilling the Federal Government’s trust and treaty responsibilities to our Tribes. I see numerous cuts across the budget that defunds Tribal police, the Bureau of Indian Affairs. How many Tribes have you personally consulted with on your budget request?”
    “I’ve been meeting with tribes every week since I’ve been here. I’ve got a deep understanding of our challenges and shortage in law enforcement,” replied Secretary Burgum.
    “There’s 574 Tribe—which ones have you consulted or met with?” Senator Murray asked again.  
    Secretary Burgum said, in part: “I’m happy to provide you a list, but I just recently had the Interior Secretary Tribal Advisory Committee, we had 24 representatives from tribes from across the country actually meeting in my office just a couple weeks ago.”
    Senator Murray and Secretary Burgum discussed the funding, and Murray concluded: “I just want to say that my tribes in Washington state are deeply concerned, they’re telling us that these layoffs will eliminate natural resource management, basic social services and they are horrified. So, I hope that in your list you will provide me, that I see some of their names.”
    [NEW MURRAY REPORT ON NATIONAL PARK SERVICE]
    Also today, Senator Murray released a new report on how the Trump administration’s cuts and planned cuts of National Park staff will reduce access to our public lands, harm Washington state’s gateway communities, jeopardize natural resources, and make National Parks less safe for visitors.
    The full report is available HERE and below:
    Report: President Trump’s Attacks on National Park Service are Hurting Communities Across Washington State
    This report is part of a series detailing the harm President Trump and Elon Musk’s reckless and devastating attacks on the federal workforce are causing on the ground in Washington state. The Trump administration’s mass firings and harmful actions have real consequences for Washington state residents and their communities.
    This report focuses on how the Trump administration’s cuts and planned cuts of National Park staff will reduce access to our public lands, harm Washington’s gateway communities, jeopardize natural resources, and make National Parks less safe for visitors.
    National Park Service is Critical to Ensuring All Americans Can Safely Visit Our Most Iconic Public Lands This Summer and Beyond
    Across the country, National Park Service rangers work hard to keep visitors safe, protect natural resources, and create an inspiring and educational experience for visitors. For over a decade, the National Park Service has had to operate at low staffing levels, despite significant increases in visitation.[1] Yet, under the Trump Administration, the National Park Service has frozen hiring, rescinded seasonal employment offers, pushed employees to resign, and laid off 1,000 permanent employees.[2] The National Park Service has also been ordered to submit a restructuring plan, and the Department of the Interior plans “additional massive layoffs” in the coming months. Without sufficient staff, visitor centers and campgrounds may close, bathrooms will not be properly maintained, emergency response times will drop, and important ranger services from interpretation to providing safety advice will be unavailable.
    Layoffs at the National Park Service Will Reduce Access to Washington’s National Parks.
    The National Park Service has a significant footprint in Washington, home of the iconic Mount Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades National Parks, along with historically significant sites across the state—like Fort Vancouver, the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, and more. At the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, Sam Peterson was one of the National Park Service staff fired on February 14, after accepting a promotion to become a park ranger just three months prior.
    “Americans aren’t getting what they’ve paid for—they’re not operating under a new budget. The Park Service is supposed to have a park ranger in my position at Lake Roosevelt, so there’s going to be fewer visitors who get important safety messaging, fewer visitors who can have their questions answered, and fewer kids that can go on a field trip led by a ranger. There may be safety impacts during the busy season, if we aren’t able to get out safety messaging as effectively. There’s supposed to be a team of nine interpreters at Lake Roosevelt—now there are only three,” said Peterson.
    In response to court orders, the National Park Service offered many fired employees, including Peterson, their positions back.[3]
    “I want to return to the Park Service someday, but right now, it doesn’t feel stable for either myself or my family, because we just don’t know what the next couple of months—and certainly the next couple of years—will bring. I turned down my job when it was offered back to me, because I was living in government housing at the time of my termination—I was given 60 days to leave. I signed a new lease and started a new job six hours away just before I was offered my job back. Even though it was tempting to accept my job back, I couldn’t do it,” said Peterson.
    Washington state’s outdoor recreation community has a front row seat to the local impacts of cutting staff at the National Park Service. Last year, the Mountaineers—an outdoor recreation group—led 727 trips, activities, and courses in Washington’s National Parks, serving 3,456 students.
    “We got word that the only plumber at Mount Rainier National Park was fired. That’s the kind of thing that you don’t see when you’re visiting the parks. But if a wastewater system goes down then they’re going to have to close bathrooms, that’s a public safety issue. You can’t have people visiting our parks if there are no sanitary facilities,” said Betsy Robblee, Conservation and Advocacy Director for the Mountaineers.
    “We’re also concerned about campgrounds opening up. There’s a lot of staff that are needed to open campgrounds, whether that’s removing hazardous trees from areas near campsites or opening up and testing the water system. If you don’t have staff to do that, that’s going to either delay or maybe prevent many campsites from opening. Hurricane Ridge, in Olympic National Park, lost one of their road crew members as part of the firing of probationary employees. If you don’t have enough road crew members to clear the road up to Hurricane Ridge, that area just can’t open,” said Robblee.
    In addition to the critical work conducted by National Park Service staff, Washington state has a uniquely strong volunteer community. The Washington Trails Association contributes thousands of volunteer hours to critical trail maintenance projects in places like Mount Rainier National Park.
    “We have had a decades-long relationship with Mount Rainier, but it’s built on working with National Park Service staff to plan projects so that we can leverage volunteers and bring them to the Park to help steward those places. The fear is that the public side of that public-private partnership is being eroded. We won’t be able to complete our mission to take care of these places without the Park Service being there as our partner,” said Michael DeCramer, Policy and Planning Manager for the Washington Trails Association.
    DeCramer is keenly aware of how reduced staffing will impact visitor experience.
    “There are just enough people at Mount Rainier National Park in the winter to keep the roads open and if somebody calls out sick, the gate doesn’t open,” said DeCramer, highlighting how vital staff are for providing access to our public lands.
    Following public outcry, the National Park Service proposed expanding their hiring of seasonal workers to meet the needs of increased visitation during the high season.
    “While that’s great in theory, a lot of parks haven’t been allowed to repost seasonal job postings, so they’re having to use the candidate pool from when the job was posted in October or November of last year. That’s now almost six months ago—a lot of the people who applied have already moved on,” said Peterson.
    “Seasonal employees do great work, and they’re absolutely necessary, but you also need stability year-over-year through permanent employees to train those seasonal employees and maintain institutional integrity, especially in the off season. Even though we think of parks as places we go to in the summer, staff are still needed for visitors during the off season and shoulder season. The off season is also when a lot of maintenance and repair work takes place, so that parks are ready for their high season. It’s not efficient to just say, ‘oh, we will fire all of these people and then hire a bunch of part time workers instead,’” said Peterson.
    Reduced Park Access Will Hurt Local Economies in Washington’s Gateway Communities
    In 2023, outdoor recreation contributed $22.5 billion to Washington’s economy and made up 3.2% of the state’s total jobs.[4] This economic impact is particularly important for gateway communities—those located closest to Washington’s National Parks. 
    The American Alpine Institute is a mountain climbing school and guide service with 60 employees and a significant presence in Washington state. Executive Director Jason Martin is also a mountain rescue volunteer, a former president of the Bellingham Mountain Rescue Council, and has worked extensively with the American Mountain Guides Association. After the initial round of layoffs, he reached out to people working in the National Park Service to try to understand how the layoffs may impact outdoor recreation.
    “Throughout the outdoor industry—which I represent in a couple of different ways: as a commercial operator, as a volunteer rescuer, and as an outdoor recreationalist—in many cases, we just don’t know what’s going on right now. We don’t know who to talk to. We don’t know who to ask about things,” said Martin.
    The Mount Rainier Business Alliance is a coalition of local business owners in Ashford, Elbe, Alder, and Mineral, Washington, whose members deeply understand the economic impacts of staffing cuts to the National Park Service.
    “In Ashford, which is the main town right outside of Mount Rainier National Park, everything is closely tied to the National Park—from our economy to our safety. So these cuts, while perhaps just seen as being cuts to the National Park, in some ways are really cuts to our community,” said Nickolas Neville, President of the Mount Rainier Business Alliance.
    For small business owners near Mount Rainier National Park, reductions in staffing at the National Park Service could make it impossible for them to keep their doors open.
    “This whole part of our county relies entirely on the people that decide to make the trip out to Mount Rainier. Making that more difficult, especially with how challenging access to the mountain has been because of lack of staffing—I could see causing businesses to shut down, businesses that are already struggling. I could see it impacting how often we get tourists here renting out properties and short-term rentals. This part of Pierce County is already on life support,” said Cat Larrow, head of the Community Advocacy Committee of the Mount Rainier Business Alliance.
    Layoffs at the National Park Service Will Reduce Emergency Services at Washington’s National Parks
    In addition to maintaining the parks and educating visitors, park rangers ensure that visitors are safe and serve as first responders when emergencies arise. 
    “The Golden West Visitor Center at North Cascades National Park on Lake Chelan has struggled to stay open because they just haven’t had the staff they need to operate. That’s a key entry point for the Steven Mather Wilderness and the southern end of North Cascades National Park. My fear is that there’s just no slack at the Park Service. These folks are already doing everything they can. And you’re still going to have people wanting to visit the parks, but services are going to suffer,” said Michael DeCramer, Policy and Planning Manager for the Washington Trails Association. 
    “If there is a search and rescue operation needed, they might not be able to provide the staff for the level of service that we expect. Things might have to close if there’s a wildfire in the Park. We may not have the staff with the skills needed to respond in the way that we’re used to. And I see a lot of potential risk to the public. Not to be dire, but these cuts will be felt both in terms of loss of services but also decreased safety for the public, because park rangers are first responders,” said DeCramer.
    In addition to search and rescue and wildfire response, park rangers provide valuable safety information to visitors to prevent emergencies from happening in the first place.
    “Even just the rangers who sit at Artist Point handing out information to people about mountain rescues are important. I’ve done dozens and dozens of rescues in that area, mostly people who have broken bones. But if there’s nobody sitting there to warn someone that they’re actually walking into the wilderness. There’s a lot of concern,” said Jason Martin, the Executive Director of the American Alpine Institute, and a mountain rescue volunteer.
    Across Washington’s Parks, decreased staff creates safety concerns for visitors.
    “We are a very outdoor engaged state and people just go up to visit the woods constantly. I love that people are engaged, but the Park Service is putting people at risk on any given day by not having enough staff to maintain these parks,” said David Beard, Director of Policy & Government Affairs for the Children & Nature Network.
    Layoffs at the National Park Service Will Harm Washington’s Natural Resources for Future Generations
    Washington’s National Parks contain some of America’s most precious natural resources and iconic landscapes. When people visit these special places, it often has a lasting impact.
    “We all have memories of a visit to our National Parks. My three kids have more than 50 Junior Ranger badges they have earned over the years. Are there going to be people there to raise their hand and swear in the six-year-old to be a Junior Ranger? All those things are likely going to be in question,” said Tom Uniack, Executive Director for Washington Wild.
    “If people aren’t able to visit our Parks, or they have negative experiences, then we’re losing out on those amazing connections that people have to the natural world that can change their lives. They develop a stewardship ethic. They want to care for these places, and they want to advocate to protect these places. And looking towards future generations, if this continues, future generations may not get to have the same experiences in these places as we are fortunate to have today,” said Betsy Robblee, Conservation and Advocacy Director for the Mountaineers.
    “Washington is a beautiful state. I was born and raised here. My dad was a climber. I really worry that whether it’s the National Park Service or the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management, not having the funding and staff to clean bathrooms, keep the gates open, and haul out trash. Garbage piling up can have lasting impacts on wildlife like bears and ravens and mountain lions,” said Jonathan Spitzer, Director of Operations for Alpine Ascents.
    As the summer season approaches, cuts to the National Park Service will be acutely felt across Washington state—from small businesses in gateway communities to the safety and quality of visitor experiences in Olympic, North Cascades, and Mount Rainier National Parks. Washingtonians understand that these iconic public lands belong to the public, and that it takes a strong National Park Service to steward them for visitors today and tomorrow.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Perfect bodies and perfect lives’: how selfie-editing tools are distorting how young people see themselves

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julia Coffey, Associate Professor in Sociology, University of Newcastle

    Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock

    Like many of her peers, Abigail (21) takes a lot of selfies, tweaks them with purpose-made apps, and posts them on social media. But, she says, the selfie-editing apps do more than they were designed for:

    You look at that idealised version of yourself and you just want it – you just want it to be real […] the more you do it, the better you get at it and the more subtle your editing is the easier it is to actually see yourself as that version.

    Abigail was one of nearly 80 young people my colleagues and I interviewed as part of research into selfie-editing technologies. The findings, recently published in New Media & Society, are cause for alarm. They show selfie-editing technologies have significant impacts for young people’s body image and wellbeing.

    Carefully curating an online image

    Many young people carefully curate how they appear online. One reason for this is to negotiate the intense pressures of visibility in a digitally-networked world.

    Selfie-editing technologies enable this careful curation.

    The most popular selfie-editing apps include Facetune, Faceapp, and Meitu. They offer in-phone editing tools from lighting, colour and photo adjustments to “touch ups” such as removing blemishes.

    These apps also offer “structural” edits. These mimic cosmetic surgery procedures such as rhinoplasty (more commonly known as nose jobs) and facelifts. They also offer filters including an “ageing” filter, “gender swap” tool, and “make up” and hairstyle try-ons.

    The range of editing options and incredible attention to details and correction of so-called “flaws” these apps offer encourage the user to forensically analyse their face and body, making a series of micro changes with the tap of a finger.

    Facetune is one of the most popular selfie-editing apps among young people.
    Facetune

    A wide range of editing practices

    The research team I led included Amy Dobson (Curtin University), Akane Kanai (Monash University), Rosalind Gill (University of London) and Niamh White (Monash University). We wanted to understand how image-altering technologies were experienced by young people, and whether these tools impacted how they viewed themselves.

    We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 33 young people aged between 18-24. We also ran 13 “selfie-editing” group workshops with 56 young people aged 18–24 who take selfies, and who use editing apps in Melbourne and Newcastle, Australia.

    Most participants identified as either “female” or “cis woman” (56). There were 12 who identified as either “non-binary”, “genderfluid” or “questioning”, and 11 who identified as “male” or “cis man”. They identified as from a range of ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds.

    Facetune was the most widely-used facial-editing app. Participants also used Snapseed, Meitu, VSCO, Lightroom and the built-in beauty filters which are now standard in newer Apple or Samsung smartphones.

    Editing practices varied from those who irregularly made only minor edits such as lighting and cropping, to those who regularly used beauty apps and altered their faces and bodies in forensic detail, mimicking cosmetic surgical interventions.

    Approximately one third of participants described currently or previously making dramatic or “structural” edits through changing the dimensions of facial features. These edits included reshaping noses, cheeks, head size, shoulders or waist “cinching”.

    Showcasing your ‘best self’

    Young people told us that selfie taking and editing was an important way of showing “who they are” to the world.

    As one participant told us, it’s a way of saying “I’m here, I exist”. But they also said the price of being online, and posting photos of themselves, meant they were aware of being seen alongside a set of images showing “perfect bodies and perfect lives”.

    Participants told us they assume “everyone’s photos have been edited”. To keep up with this high standard, they needed to also be adept at editing photos to display their “best self” – aligning with gendered and racialised beauty ideals.

    Photo-editing apps and filters were seen as a normal and expected way to achieve this. However, using these apps was described as a “slippery slope”, or a “Pandora’s box”, where “once you start editing it’s hard to stop”.

    Young women in particular described feeling that the “baseline standard to just feel normal” feels higher than ever, and that appearance pressures are intensifying.

    Many felt image-altering technologies such as beauty filters and editing apps are encouraging them to want to change their appearance “in real life” through cosmetic non-surgical procedures such as fillers and Botox.

    As one participant, Amber (19), told us:

    I feel like a lot of plastic surgeries are now one step further than a filter.

    Another participant, Freya (20), described a direct link between editing photos and cosmetic enhancement procedures.

    Ever since I started [editing my body in photos], I wanted to change it in real life […] That’s why I decided to start getting lip and cheek filler.

    Editing apps are encouraging some young people to want to change their appearance by using Botox.
    Thiti Sukapan/Shutterstock

    Altering the relationship between technology and the human experience

    These findings suggest image-editing technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) filters and selfie-editing apps, have significant impacts for young people’s body image and wellbeing.

    The rapid expansion of generative AI in “beauty cam” technologies in the cosmetic and beauty retail industries makes it imperative to study these impacts, as well as how young people experience these new technologies.

    These cameras are able to visualise “before and after” on a user’s face with minute forensic detail.

    These technologies, through their potential to alter relationship between technology and the human experience at the deepest level, may have devastating impacts on key youth mental health concerns such as body image.

    Julia Coffey receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. ‘Perfect bodies and perfect lives’: how selfie-editing tools are distorting how young people see themselves – https://theconversation.com/perfect-bodies-and-perfect-lives-how-selfie-editing-tools-are-distorting-how-young-people-see-themselves-257134

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: UPDATE: Night closures coming for State Highway 2 – Masterton to Carterton (no more road closures this week)

    Source: Argument for Lifting NZ Super Age

    30 April:

    Road crews have finished works requiring closures ahead of time, meaning planned road closures scheduled for tonight (Wednesday) and tomorrow night (Thursday) are no longer needed.

    However, road users travelling on State Highway 2 in Wairarapa still need to be aware of road rebuilding works and a road closure on State Highway 2 in Greytown. Drivers should ensure they allow extra time when travelling through the town.

    24 April:

    Late April and early May will see maintenance works underway on State Highway 2 between Masterton and Carterton.

    Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Alliance Manager, says contractors will complete a wide range of maintenance tasks.

    “They will be fixing safety barriers – we have four recent barrier strikes that need to be fixed. It is critical damaged barriers are fixed as they are instrumental in preventing head on collisions.

    “They will also be doing line marking and carrying out water cutting – this removes excess bitumen from the road surface, improves road grip, and makes it safer to drive on,” Ms Hilliard says.

    Ms Hilliard says the work requires road closures over five consecutive nights, and State Highway 2 will be closed to traffic in both directions.

    “We appreciate full closures do affect drivers. However, with winter approaching it is vital this section of the highway is in the best shape it can be for the winter months ahead.”

    The work will be underway from Sunday, 27 April to Thursday, 1 May. The highway will be closed to north and southbound traffic each night between 9 pm and 4 am (works conclude Friday, 2 May at 4 am).

    Ms Hilliard says local road detours will be available via Chester and Norfolk Road, and Cornwall Road and Hughes Line (see work and detour details below).

    “Because these are local roads, road users must drive to the conditions, obey the speed limit, and be patient if there is queued traffic. We want people to get to their destinations safely.”

    Drivers travelling through Wairarapa also need to be aware of other road works on State Highway 2 that will affect their journeys. This includes road rebuild work in Greytown and drainage works in Masterton.

    It is essential people plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys.

    NZTA/Waka Kotahi and the Wellington Transport Alliance thank the public for their patience and cooperation while these essential state highway maintenance works are completed.

    Works schedule and detour routes

    • Sunday, 27 April to Thursday 1 May. 9 pm – 4 am
    • State Highway CLOSED in both directions between Chester and Norfolk Roads
    • Sunday and Monday nights (27 and 28 April):
      • Northbound traffic detour via Chester and Norfolk Roads
      • Southbound traffic detour via Cornwall Road and Hughes Line
    • Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights (29 April – 1 May):
      • All traffic must detour via Hughes Line and Cornwall Road.

    View larger night closures map [PDF, 365 KB]

    More information

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Shannakian Jewellery Pty Ltd Public warning

    Source: Australian Capital Territory Policing

    Consumer Affairs Victoria is warning anyone wanting to buy jewellery from Shannakian Jewellery to be careful, after receiving 67 complaints from consumers about the company.

    Trading as Shannakian Fine Jewellery, the company sells jewellery on its website, Instagram and in its Melbourne showroom. Most of the complaints received by Consumer Affairs Victoria are from sales on their Instagram page, which has over 25,000 followers.

    Since 15 February 2021, complaints have been received from consumers across Australia and overseas who allege the business:

    • accepted payment for jewellery but failed to provide it in a reasonable time, or at all
    • failed to provide refunds when requested and required, and
    • failed to provide a refund for faulty products.

    In one case, a consumer claimed to have paid the business $27,000 for a necklace. The jewellery was not provided. After following up many times, the consumer asked for a refund, which was not provided.

    Consumer Affairs Victoria Acting Director, David Joyner, is urging consumers to be wary before purchasing Shannakian Fine Jewellery products.

    If you have had a bad experience with Shannakian Fine Jewellery, contact us through our complaint form, email or by calling 1300 55 81 81.

    Read our public warning:

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Homicide enquiry launched in Kaikohe

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Northland Police have launched a homicide investigation following the discovery of man’s body at Horeke, north of Kaikohe.

    A man arrived outside the Kaikohe Police Station last night at around 8.30pm.

    “After speaking with this man, Police went to a Waikerikeri Road property where a male was found with critical injuries,” Detective Inspector Rhys Johnston, of Northland CIB, says.

    “The man was provided urgent medical attention but sadly died at the scene.”

    An investigation is underway into the circumstances of what happened last night.

    “The enquiry is in the very early stages,” Detective Inspector Johnston says. 

    “We are continuing to speak to the man who visited the Police Station as part of this investigation.”

    A post-mortem will be conducted in the coming days to determine a cause of death.

    “Police extend condolences to whānau for their loss,” Detective Inspector Johnston says.

    Police enquiries are ongoing, and anyone with information that can assist with our enquiries are asked to update us online now or call 105.

    Please use this reference number: 250522/0155.

    ENDS.

    Nicole Bremner/NZ Police 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Unexplained child death under investigation

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police are investigating the unexplained death of a 3-year old girl in Kaikohe yesterday.

    Emergency services responded to a Tawanui Road address at around 6.15pm.

    “The child was unresponsive and sadly, despite medical treatment provided, died at the scene,” Detective Inspector Rhys Johnston, of Northland CIB, says.  “Police extend their condolences to whānau.”

    A post-mortem will be conducted in the next few days to determine cause of death.

    Police enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the death are ongoing.

    ENDS.

    Nicole Bremner/NZ Police 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Winter gardening tips from the pros at Auckland Botanic Gardens

    Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

    Spring might get all the glory in the gardening world, but seeing the Auckland Botanic Gardens in winter is a testament to the beauty that can be achieved in your backyard any time of the year. This treasure of Tāmaki Makaurau is bursting with colour and birdsong even in the coldest months, and during this time, the gardening team is as busy as ever.

    Landscape gardener and horticulturist Jeffrey Jones is one of the collection curators at Auckland Botanic Gardens. His Monday mornings start by giving his areas – the Perennial Garden and the visitor centre surrounds – a tidy up with a leaf blower as he assesses the tasks ahead for the week. In winter, that might mean cutting back, lifting or dividing plants to promote new life, or adding mulch to protect plants from weeds and provide the soil with nutrients.

    Jeffrey shares some pro tips for making your garden look its best in winter, spring and summer, and some advice on attracting native birds to your backyard.

    Think at least a season ahead

    To keep your garden looking its best throughout the year, you need to start early. If you’re dreaming of daffodils and bulbs bursting through the ground in spring, it’s best to plant them in late April or early May.

    “To create our colourful displays here at the Botanic Gardens, we are always thinking ahead,” says Jeffrey. “If you really want spring action with flowers like freesias, daffodils and gladioli, you really need to be planting late autumn up to mid-May.”

    But it’s not only spring that is blooming gorgeous in Auckland. Lots of flowers blossom during winter, such as cyclamen, snowflakes, and Narcissus ‘Erlicheer’ – but again, it takes planning.

    “We start planning for our winter colour displays in January by ordering seeds and plants,” says Jeffrey. “We know our winter plants do best if they’ve been in the ground for a little while and if they’ve had a bit of growth before the first frost, so we planted out our winter displays – thousands of Icelandic poppies, alyssum and primula – back in April.”

    Some spring blooms such as tulips and peonies aren’t well suited to Auckland’s mild climate. To avoid disappointment in your own garden, pick the brains of the experts and select the best picks of the bunch.

    Auckland Botanic Gardens has many free brochures available to help you choose plants that grow well in Auckland’s conditions all year round.

    Auckland Botanic Gardens Collections Curator Jeffrey Jones says there are lots of ways to achieve a colourful garden year-round.

    Plant trees during winter

    Jeffrey says winter is the perfect time to plant trees. In the colder months, trees can focus on establishing strong root systems without growing leaves, flowers or fruit. Plant fruit trees in free-draining areas and work compost into the soil to ensure the tree has lots of nutrition.

    Stake trees when planting to avoid damaging the roots when the plant is established.

    Fruitful gardening in Auckland

    “What separates the Auckland Botanic Gardens from the region’s other beautiful parks is we’re also here to research and trial what grows best in Auckland,” says Jeffrey. “We produce brochures with tips for the best plants for Auckland’s subtropical climate and these are a result of many years of research. We put a range of plants into our trial garden so our experts can pick their top eight plants for this region.”

    Fruit trees that grow well in Auckland include feijoas (plant two trees for cross-pollination and a bumper crop), tamarillos and citrus such as mandarins, limes and Meyer lemons.

    European plums such as Prunus domestica ‘Luisa’ and Japanese plums like Prunus domestica ‘Hawera’ are well suited to Auckland’s humid climate.

    For a beautiful fruiting tree that will provide shape and structure to your backyard, try Japanese persimmon Diospyros kaki ‘Fuyu’, a tree with spectacular foliage that turns red and orange in autumn.

    Add native plants to the mix

    Many gorgeous native shrubs and trees can also be planted in winter to create colour, shape and form in your garden – as well as being food sources for native bird species. A stroll through the Native Plant ID Trail at the Auckland Botanic Gardens will inspire. Purple and pink hebes are a haven for insects, the favourite snack of pīwakawaka (fantails) and tauhou (silvereyes).

    Explore the beautiful colours of native flora on the Native Plant ID Trail at the Auckland Botanic Gardens.

    Flowering plants like kōwhai bloom from July until November and are a favourite of nectar-lovers tūī and kererū (New Zealand pigeon). Kōwhai can reach heights of 10m, so if you’re short on space, consider a dwarf variety such as Sophora microphylla ‘Dragon’s Gold’.

    For shape and interest, don’t overlook mānuka (tea tree), which is excellent for hedges and coastal areas and a favourite with both nectar-loving and insect-eating birds.

    “You can’t go past mānuka,” says Jeffrey. “They are smaller, growing with flowers at different times of the year. With native birds, you need to think about seasonality – planting food sources for them at all times of the year.”

    Other native plants to try are makomako (wineberry), houhere (lacebark), harakeke (flax) and dwarf varieties of pūriri.

    Plant some rare beauties

    To really do your bit for conservation, plant rare or threatened native species. Jeffrey suggests the pale flowering kūmarahou Pomaderris hamiltonii.

    “Pomaderris hamiltonii is the cousin of the common kūmarahou, but it’s threatened and is only found in the upper North Island” says Jeffrey. “It has beautiful cream flowers and is an Auckland treasure we want to protect.”

    Another regional treasure to plant is Clianthus puniceus, an Auckland variety of kākā beak. This threatened shrub, named after its beak-shaped flowers, puts on a display of colour from August to November that nectar-eating birds love.

    “The common kākā beak Clianthus maximus gets all the glory, but Clianthus puniceus, is an Auckland variety that needs our help and still puts on a lovely show.”

    Clianthus puniceus is an Auckland variety of kākā beak that is threatened. The plant has beautiful foliage and striking flowers that tūīs love.

    Visit the gardens for inspiration

    Not sure where to start in your own garden? A wander through the grounds of the Auckland Botanic Gardens will provide loads of inspiration. The gardens are gorgeous in all seasons – in winter, the Camellia Garden will bloom with pink and white flowers, and the Magnolia Garden will be in its full glory.

    Other spectacular areas in winter include the Rock Garden (there’s even an area that can be hired for weddings), and the aloe section – including the spectacular tree aloes – will be flowering in the cooler months.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Key trade expo to open in central China to boost China-Africa ties

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 21 — The fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo is set to take place in Changsha, the capital of central China’s Hunan Province, from June 12 to 15, with more than 12,000 participants expected to attend, organizers said at a press conference on Wednesday.

    The event, co-hosted by China’s Ministry of Commerce and the Hunan provincial government, is one of the most important events in the field of economy and trade between China and Africa this year. Over 2,800 enterprises, business associations and financial institutions from China and Africa have registered, along with representatives from 44 African countries, six international organizations and 23 Chinese provincial-level regions.

    Themed “China and Africa: Together Toward Modernization,” the biennial expo will feature exhibitions on sectors including smart mining technology and equipment, clean energy, modern agricultural machinery and construction equipment. More than 20 economic and trade events have been scheduled to take place during the expo.

    Shen Yumou, head of the Hunan provincial commerce department, said 128 cooperation projects with a total value exceeding 7 billion U.S. dollars have been proposed for signing or matchmaking during the expo, spanning areas including manufacturing, power and energy, transportation, information services, culture and healthcare.

    Launched in 2019, the expo has evolved into a major platform for enhancing China-Africa economic cooperation. Shen Xiang, director of the West Asia and Africa Department under the Ministry of Commerce, said the event is expected to inject fresh momentum into practical collaboration between the two sides.

    China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, said Tang Wenhong, assistant minister of commerce. In 2024, trade between China and African countries hit a record high of 295.6 billion U.S. dollars, up 4.8 percent year over year; while imports from Africa reached 116.8 billion U.S. dollars, up 6.9 percent year over year.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China invites overseas payload proposals for Mars sample return mission

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 21 — China is seeking payload proposals for its Mars sample return mission and inviting overseas researchers to participate.

    The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has called on overseas research institutions, including those in Hong Kong and Macao, to submit proposals for developing payloads for the Tianwen-3 mission.

    The mission, a significant part of China’s planetary exploration program, is scheduled for launch around 2028.

    The Tianwen-3 spacecraft comprises a lander, an ascent vehicle, a service module, an orbiter and a return module, and it is equipped with six scientific payloads.

    The six payloads, namely, the Raman fluorescence spectrometer, ultra-wideband exploration radar, mid-infrared superfine imaging spectrometer, Mars global multicolor camera, descent ENA aurora detector and high-precision vector magnetometer, are all open to overseas researchers, according to a notice released by the CNSA.

    The CNSA requires that all payload projects be led by a domestic institution, with no more than five entities involved in the joint development of a single payload.

    Last month, the administration announced that it would offer payload resources for international cooperation, with up to 15 kilograms available on the orbiter and 5 kilograms on the service module.

    The primary scientific objective of the mission is to search for signs of life on Mars. Other areas of exploration include the Martian climate and its evolution, the planet’s geology and its internal processes.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Q&A: What to know about China’s visa-free policies

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 21 — China’s visa-exemption policies have boosted inbound travel. Since the start of this year, “China Travel” has kept trending. On Wednesday, the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China released a list of frequently asked questions about these policies.

    Q: Who does the visa waiver apply to?

    A: Nationals of 43 countries including Brunei, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Holland, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, the Republic of Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay take effect from June 1, 2025) holding valid ordinary passports can be exempted from visa requirement if entering China for the purpose of business, tourism, family or friend visits, exchange and transit. They can stay in China for no more than 30 days without a visa.

    Q: Do foreign nationals eligible for a visa waiver need to make declarations to Chinese embassies and consulates in advance?

    A: Foreign nationals eligible for a visa waiver do not need to declare in advance to Chinese embassies and consulates before entering China without a visa.

    Q: Will the purpose of the intended stay in China be examined by Chinese border inspection authorities when entering China? How will it be done? Are other documents needed for entering China in addition to a passport?

    A: Foreign nationals traveling for purposes of business, tourism, family or friend visits, exchange and transit that meet the visa waiver requirements, can be allowed to enter China without a visa upon examination and approval in accordance with the law by border inspection authorities. Entry into China shall be denied by border inspection authorities in accordance with the law to foreign nationals who travel for purposes that do not meet the visa waiver requirements or who are not allowed to enter China in accordance with laws and regulations. It is recommended to take documents such as invitation letters, air tickets and reservations of accommodation as proof corresponding to the purposes of entry into China. Visa waiver does not apply to those who come to China for work, study, journalistic or similar purposes.

    Q: Is there any additional requirement for minors eligible for a visa waiver?

    A: Visa waiver requirements for minors are the same as for adults.

    Q: Are there any requirements regarding the type and validity of entry documents?

    A: For foreign nationals, an ordinary passport valid for at least the duration of the intended stay in China is needed. Holders of travel documents or temporary or emergency documents other than ordinary passports are not allowed to enter China without a visa.

    Q: How to calculate the duration of stay of 30 days?

    A: The duration of stay without a visa is calculated from the day after entry and lasts continuously for 30 calendar days.

    Q: Does the visa waiver apply to foreign nationals who travel from a third country?

    A: Eligible foreign nationals can depart for China from any country or region.

    Q: Does the visa waiver apply to foreign nationals who travel via modes of transport other than aviation?

    A: The visa waiver applies to all travelers coming to China through any sea, road and airport open to foreign nationals — except where laws, regulations or bilateral arrangements specify otherwise. For arrivals in China by way of private transport, certain procedures for entry and exit of means of transport shall be processed in accordance with relevant laws and regulations of China.

    Q: Does the visa waiver apply to tour groups?

    A: The visa waiver applies to eligible foreign nationals either in tour groups or as individuals.

    Q: If the length of intended stay exceeds 30 days, can the visa waiver be extended?

    A: Foreign nationals planning to stay in China for over 30 days shall apply for visas corresponding to their purposes of stay in advance at Chinese embassies or consulates. If they have to stay longer than 30 days for appropriate and sufficient reasons after entering China without a visa, they shall apply for stay permits to the exit and entry administrations of public security authorities of China.

    Q: Does the visa waiver allow multiple entries? Is there any requirement on the length of intervals between each entry, or any restriction on the number of entries without a visa or total days of stay?

    A: Foreign nationals eligible for the visa waiver can enter China without a visa multiple times. Currently, there is no restriction on the number of entries or total days of stay, but those who enjoy visa-free travel to China shall not engage in activities inconsistent with their purpose of entry.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Top-seed Sun cruises into last 16 at TT worlds

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Top-seeded Chinese Sun Yingsha defeated France’s Charlotte Lutz in straight sets to reach the women’s singles last 16 at the World Table Tennis Championships on Wednesday.

    Sun Yingsha serves during the women’s singles round of 32 match between Sun Yingsha of China and Charlotte Lutz of France at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

    “Go go Shasha!” rooted for by a loud crowd, the 24-year-old superstar clinched an 11-4, 11-6, 11-6, 11-1 victory over the 20-year-old and world No. 92.

    “This was our first meeting, and I had studied her match videos,” said Sun after a 29-minute match. “She is young and promising.”

    Sun will next play against South Korea’s Shin Yu-bin, who advanced over Italy’s Gaia Monfardini in a score of 11-5, 8-11, 11-9, 14-12, 16-14.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Flick extends Barcelona contract until 2027

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    FC Barcelona announced on Wednesday that coach Hansi Flick has agreed to extend his contract with the club until the end of June 2027.

    “The German coach will sign on Wednesday the extension of his contract until 2027 – for one more season – The act will be held in the offices at the Camp Nou,” confirmed a statement from the club.

    Hansi Flick gestures on the touchline during the Group E match between Germany and Japan at the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Nov. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

    The extension on Flick’s original deal, which was due to expire in 2026, comes after the former Bayern Munich and German national team boss has led Barca to this season’s La Liga title, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Supercup in his first season in charge.

    Flick’s only disappointment was a narrow defeat after extra time to Inter Milan in the semifinals of the Champions League.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: State Highway 59 now stronger and safer at Pukerua Bay

    Source: Argument for Lifting NZ Super Age

    Contractors have wrapped up ongoing resilience works on State Highway 59 near Pukerua Bay.

    Work has been underway at the site since January. Rockfall protection was completed in April, and now seawall works have also finished.

    Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Alliance Manager, says that State Highway 59, which is exposed to the sea and weather, is now much more resilient.

    “Over the last month, crews have fixed an eroded footpath, repaired roadside barriers, and improved erosion protection.”

    “This part of State Highway 59 is better protected from sea damage, and pedestrian and cyclist access has also improved,” Ms Hilliard says.

    As part of the project, 450 metres of barriers and 73 metres of footpath have been repaired.

    Seawall resilience works, State Highway 59

    Ms Hilliard says the repairs will be durable.

    “This is because we built an engineered slope with shotcrete and synthetic fibres. Shotcrete is a method where concrete is applied at high velocity, helping the concrete adhere to the slope. This adds more structural stability and strength, better resisting the harsh marine environment.”

    “We realize that traffic has been affected by the traffic management needed for this project for some time, and we thank the public for their patience and understanding,” Ms Hilliard says.

    Rockfall protection work, SH59 near Pukerua Bay

    More Information:

    • This is a low-cost, low-risk resilience project funded from the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).
    • Total works on this site, rockfall and seawall, have an estimated cost of $1.2 million.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: IAG’s proposed acquisition of RACQ Insurance not opposed

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The ACCC will not oppose Insurance Australia Group Limited’s (ASX: IAG) proposed acquisition of RACQ Insurance Limited (RACQI).

    IAG and RACQI supply general insurance products, including home and contents insurance and motor insurance. They predominantly overlap in the supply of insurance products in Queensland.

    The ACCC’s review considered the impact of the proposed acquisition on the supply of home and contents insurance and the supply of motor insurance, focussing on the level of competition provided by other existing insurance providers, how competitive RACQI is now, and the likely impact of the acquisition on insurance prices, service offering, and coverage.

    The ACCC found that alternative suppliers of home and contents insurance and motor insurance would continue to compete with and provide a competitive constraint on IAG after the acquisition.

    “Several alternative suppliers of home and contents insurance and motor insurance, including the market leader Suncorp, more established insurers Allianz and QBE, and newer entrants such as Youi, Auto & General, and Hollard will continue to compete in Queensland,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

    The ACCC’s investigation also found RACQI has not been a particularly vigorous competitor in recent times and that it has been losing market share since 2019.

    “While RACQI has strong brand recognition in Queensland, our review found that it does not differentiate in terms of price or coverage. Its prices are generally higher than many alternative suppliers, and that it does not meaningfully differentiate on coverage or service offering in the supply of home and contents insurance and motor insurance,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

    The ACCC also closely considered the level of competition RACQI would provide in the alternative scenario where it is not acquired by IAG.

    In particular, the ACCC considered the significant challenges faced by the insurance industry, including the growth in the number of extreme weather events over time and rising reinsurance and regulatory costs. The ACCC also considered how these challenges affected RACQI in particular.

    “RACQI faces material challenges in continuing to provide competitive insurance due to it serving some areas of higher natural hazard risk, and limited access to capital as a mutual organisation. These challenges have placed limitations on its capacity to compete,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

    The ACCC also considered the impact of the proposed acquisition on markets for the acquisition of smash repair services, windscreen repair and replacement services, and building repair services.

    The ACCC found that the proposed acquisition is unlikely to substantially lessen competition in these markets as IAG is unlikely to have the ability to diminish prices or supply terms after the acquisition due to its position in the market relative to other insurers and acquirers of these services.

    The ACCC is currently reviewing Allianz Australia Insurance Limited’s proposed acquisition of RAA Insurance Holdings Limited and is aware of IAG’s proposed acquisition of RAC Insurance from RAC WA. This decision in relation to IAG and RACQ should not be treated as being indicative of the ACCC’s decision or further consideration of these transactions. The competitive dynamics and issues in each transaction are unique and the ACCC is considering (or will consider) each transaction individually.

    Further information can be found on the ACCC’s public register: IAG Limited – RACQ Insurance Limited

    Background

    As part of the proposed acquisition, IAG will acquire 90 per cent of the shares in RACQI from The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland Limited (RACQ), with an option to acquire the additional 10 per cent after two years. The proposed acquisition does not include RACQ’s membership-based business, which includes its roadside assistance business.

    IAG is a general insurance company operating in Australia and New Zealand. IAG provides a range of personal and commercial insurance products under various brands, including NRMA Insurance, Swann Insurance, ROLLiN’, Cylo, and Lumley Special Vehicles.

    IAG also underwrites insurance products and distributes them through agreements with third party brands, including Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, People’s Choice Bank, ANZ, and Coles (transitioning to Auto & General by October 2025).

    RACQ is a Queensland based member-owned organisation that provides roadside assistance, insurance, banking, and member/community services. RACQ issues general insurance products to customers through its wholly-owned subsidiary RACQI.

    RACQI also underwrites insurance products and distributes them through agreements with third party brands, including Honey Insurance (which provides insurance products to Aldi Insurance, Bank Australia, and Bank of Queensland) and Royal Automobile Club WA.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Tax Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Admits to Concealing 50% Ownership of $7B Defense Contracting Business to Evade Taxes

               WASHINGTON – Douglas Edelman, 73, a former defense contractor, pleaded guilty today to tax crimes related to a scheme to defraud the United States and evade taxes on income he earned from his contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense.

               The sentence was announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter with IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office. 

               Edelman pleaded guilty to 10 felony counts: conspiracy to defraud the United States, seven counts of tax evasion, and two counts of making a false statement.  U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled a hearing on issues related to sentencing on Nov. 17, 2026. Trial on the remaining counts of the indictment will be in 2026.

               According to court documents and statements made in court, Edelman founded and owned 50% of Mina Corp. and Red Star Enterprises (Mina/Red Star), a defense contracting business that received more than $7 billion from contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide jet fuel in the United States’ post-9/11 military efforts in Afghanistan and the Middle East. 

               Working with others, Edelman engaged in a lengthy scheme to hide his Mina/Red Star profits to evade U.S. taxes, including by concealing his income in undisclosed foreign bank accounts, creating false documents and making false statements that one of his co-conspirators — a French citizen residing abroad and without U.S. tax obligations — founded and owned Mina/Red Star. 

               For example, when the company became profitable in 2005, Edelman began taking distributions which he deposited into Swiss bank accounts, primarily at Credit Suisse, in the name of other companies he owned. In 2008, Credit Suisse informed Edelman that he had to either close his accounts or disclose them to U.S. authorities. Rather than come into compliance with his tax and reporting obligations, Edelman closed his accounts and opened new ones at Bank Julius Baer in Singapore in the name of a nominee entity, the beneficiaries of which were purportedly Edelman’s daughters. He then directed the subject income he earned from Mina/Red Star to those bank accounts. 

               In 2010 the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs began investigating allegations of corruption in connection with Mina/Red Star’s contracts with the Department of Defense. As part of this inquiry, the subcommittee became interested in the identity of Mina/Red Star’s owners. At this time, Edelman had not filed U.S. tax returns to report the millions of dollars he had earned from Mina/Red Star and had not paid U.S. taxes on his income. 

               Rather than disclose his ownership, Edelman caused his attorneys to tell Congress a false story that a French co-conspirator who had no U.S. tax or reporting obligations founded and co-owed Mina/Red Star with another individual. To corroborate the false story, Edelman and a co-conspirator caused false and backdated paperwork to be created. 

               To continue the scheme, Edelman conveyed the false story about Mina/Red Star’s ownership to other arms of the U.S. government, including to the Department of Defense during contract negotiations in 2010 and 2011, to the IRS in a 2016 application to the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program, and to the Justice Department in a 2018 presentation. 

               In conjunction with his 2016 application to the IRS’s Voluntary Disclosure Program, Edelman filed false tax returns for several prior years that only reported income from gifts or purported consulting payments, continuing to conceal the millions he had earned from his company. On the returns, he also concealed profits he had earned from a separate business to provide internet service to members of the armed forces at Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan. 

               Instead of paying the taxes that he knew he owed, Edelman used the money to fund his lifestyle and additional investments. He invested in a music television franchise in Eastern Europe, a land venture in Tulum, Mexico, and a farm in Kenya, and purchased property around Europe, including a home in Ibiza, Spain, and a townhouse in London.

               Edelman faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each of the 10 counts to which he has pleaded. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

               This case is being investigated by special agents from IRS-CI’s International Tax & Financial Crimes specialty group, a team based out of Washington, D.C., that is dedicated to uncovering international tax crimes, along with the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted in the investigation. His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs of the United Kingdom also provided assistance, as did the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Guardia Civil of Spain assisted with the arrest. 

               This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia and Assistant Chief Sarah Ranney and Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Tax Division.

    24cr239

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chief Executive Officer of Digital Asset Company Found Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Crypto-Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Misappropriated Millions of Dollars of Investors’ Funds for His Own Use Including to Purchase Real Estate and Luxury Vehicles

    Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, a federal jury convicted Braden John Karony on all counts of a three-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.  The charges arose from the defendant’s and his co-conspirators’ roles in defrauding investors in a decentralized finance digital asset called “SafeMoon,” issued by their company SafeMoon LLC.  As alleged, the defendant agreed with his co-conspirators to lie to SafeMoon investors about whether SafeMoon executives could access the liquidity pool and whether they were using the assets from the liquidity pool for their personal benefit.  As SafeMoon’s market capitalization grew to more than $8 billion, the defendant fraudulently diverted and misappropriated millions of dollars’ worth of  liquidity from the SafeMoon liquidity pool for their personal benefit.  The verdict followed a 12-day trial before United States District Judge Eric R. Komitee.  When sentenced, Karony faces up to 45 years in prison.  The jury also issued a verdict to forfeit one residential property and the proceeds from the sale of another residential property, amounting to approximately $2 million.

    Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York;   Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI); and Darren B. McCormack, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York) announced the verdict. 

    “As proven at trial, the SafeMoon digital asset was anything but safe and turned out to be pie in the sky for investors who were deliberately misled by Karony, a man who sought to get rich quick by stealing and diverting millions of dollars,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Karony used his scheme to purchase multiple homes, sports cars, custom trucks, and other luxury goods.  Today’s guilty verdict should serve as a warning to all would-be fraudsters that my Office will vigorously prosecute individuals like the defendant who victimize digital asset investors and undermine investor confidence in digital assets markets, thereby threatening the stability and growth of these emerging technologies.”

    Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its work on the case. 

    “Braden Karony, the CEO of SafeMoon, exploited his company’s digital portfolio with fictional success stories and stole millions of dollars in crypto-assets to finance luxury purchases,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.  “Along with his co-conspirators, Karony violated his clients’ trust and wallets while attempting to conceal his misconduct through discreet transactions.  May today’s conviction emphasize the FBI’s commitment to securing all markets and protecting the American people from individuals who abuse their position to satisfy personal greed.”

    “Braden Karony misled investors; intentionally diverted and misappropriated millions in cryptocurrency for his personal benefit; and lined the driveways of his million dollar homes with luxury cars.  While the name of his company is SafeMoon, there was nothing safe about this investment that was just a front for theft.  By following the money with complex cryptocurrency tracing, IRS-CI New York’s Cyber and J5 groups worked with our investigative partners to see that this conman is held accountable for his greedy acts,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis.  “The Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5) is a global partnership that works together to gather information, share intelligence, and conduct coordinated operations against transnational financial crimes.  The J5 includes the Australian Taxation Office, the Canada Revenue Agency, the Dutch Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service, His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs from the U.K. and IRS-CI from the U.S.”

    “Steered by his selfish desires and insatiable greed, Braden John Karony treated millions of dollars in investors’ funds as his own personal bank account,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge McCormack.  “The defendant will soon be trading his sprawling real estate and luxury vehicles for a jail cell within the four walls of a federal penitentiary.  As reflected by today’s conviction, whether it involves fiat or crypto, HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force will relentlessly pursue individuals intent on exploiting investors and the American financial system for their own gain.”

    Background on SafeMoon

    As proven at trial, SafeMoon tokens were digital assets first issued in March 2021 by SafeMoon LLC on a public blockchain.  Through the operation of SafeMoon’s smart contract, every transaction in SafeMoon was automatically subject to a 10% tax, meaning, for example, that if a holder of SafeMoon transferred 10 SafeMoon to another user, 1 SafeMoon would automatically be retained from the transfer as a tax and the remaining 9 SafeMoon would be received by the other party.  As marketed to SafeMoon investors, the proceeds of SafeMoon’s 10% tax were split into two 5% tranches, the proceeds of which were supposed to benefit holders of SafeMoon in specific ways.  The first 5% tranche of the tax proceeds would be “reflected” back to, and distributed among, all SafeMoon holders in proportion to their current SafeMoon holdings and thereby increase the total quantity of SafeMoon held by every SafeMoon investor automatically.  The remaining 5% tranche of SafeMoon tax proceeds would be deposited into designated SafeMoon liquidity pools.  The larger the SafeMoon liquidity pool, the greater the liquidity in the market for SafeMoon.  In the months after its launch in March 2021, SafeMoon grew to have millions of holders and a market capitalization of more than $8 billion.

    The Defendants’ Fraudulent Scheme

    Karony and his co-conspirators misrepresented various material aspects of the SafeMoon offering to investors.  Such misrepresentations included that SafeMoon relied on “locked” liquidity pools that would automatically increase in size due to a 10% tax imposed on every SafeMoon transaction; that the “locked” SafeMoon liquidity pool prevented the defendants and other insiders at SafeMoon from being able to “rug pull”—a type of crypto fraud— SafeMoon investors by removing liquidity from the SafeMoon liquidity pool; that tokens in the liquidity pool would only be used for limited pre-defined business purposes, not personal enrichment; that the defendants would manually add token pairs to the SafeMoon liquidity pool when transactions of SafeMoon occurred on specific centralized exchanges; and that the developers were not and had not been holding and trading SafeMoon for their benefit.

    In reality, Karony and his co-conspirators retained access to the SafeMoon liquidity pools and used that access to intentionally divert and misappropriate millions of dollars’ worth of tokens for their personal benefit.  In addition, although they publicly denied that they personally held or traded SafeMoon, they repeatedly bought and sold SafeMoon, sometimes at the height of SafeMoon market price, which generated millions of dollars in profits.  Karony and his co-conspirators masked their movement of the fraudulent proceeds via numerous private un-hosted crypto wallet addresses, complex transaction routing, and pseudonymous centralized exchange accounts.  Karony acquired over $9 million in crypto assets from the scheme and used some of the proceeds to purchase luxury vehicles and real estate, including a $2.2 million home in Utah, additional homes in Utah and Kansas, a $277,000 Audi R8 sports car, another Audi R8, a Tesla, and custom Ford F-550 and Jeep Gladiator pickup trucks.

    Co-conspirator Thomas Smith previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Co-conspirator Kyle Nagy remains at large. 

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Dana Rehnquist, Sara K. Winik, and Jessica K. Weigel are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Asher Martin-Rosenthal and Madison Bates. Assistant United States Attorney Laura Mantell is handling forfeiture matters.

    The Defendant:

    BRADEN JOHN KARONY
    29
    Provo, Utah

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-433 (EK)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: LexinFintech Holdings Ltd. Reports First Quarter 2025 Unaudited Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHENZHEN, China, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LexinFintech Holdings Ltd. (“Lexin” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: LX), a leading technology-empowered personal financial service enabler in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2025.

    Mr. Jay Wenjie Xiao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lexin, commented, “The continued improvement across key performance indicators marks the success of our transformation towards a business model driven by data analytics, risk management, and refined operations.

    In the first quarter, key risk metrics continued to trend strongly, validating the effectiveness of our risk management revamp initiatives. Thanks to the ongoing improvements in risk performance, net income for the first quarter exceeded RMB430 million, sustaining its strong growth trajectory and returning to the highest level for the past 13 quarters. 

    Looking ahead, we will focus on prioritizing customer-centric approaches, elevating customer experience and boosting the competitiveness of our offers, strengthening the business synergies across our ecosystem, and driving technological innovation—particularly in the application of AI. Through operational excellence and strategic agility, we aim to build long-term resilience and competitiveness in a dynamic environment. 

    Despite the challenging macroeconomic environment, evolving industry landscape, and geopolitical uncertainties, the management remains confident in achieving a significant year-over-year growth in net income, reaffirming our full-year net income guidance. 

    The management has consistently attached great importance to delivering value to shareholders through various approaches. In November 2024, the board raised the cash dividend payout ratio from 20% to 25% of total net income. We are pleased to announce that the board of directors has approved to further increase the cash dividend payout ratio from 25% to 30% of total net income, effective from the second half of 2025.”

    Mr. James Zheng, Chief Financial Officer of Lexin, commented, “Our first-quarter financial results mark another key milestone in our net income target. In the quarter, net income exceeded RMB430 million, representing a 19% quarter-over-quarter and 113% year-over-year increase. Net profit take rate was 1.58%, calculated as net income divided by average loan balance, advancing by 27 basis points compared to the previous quarter. The strong net income growth was underpinned by sustained improvements in asset quality, alongside a further reduction in funding costs.

    Looking ahead, we’re committed to a prudent operating strategy, ecosystem synergy enhancement and operational refinement. For the full year 2025, we expect our net income to deliver strong year-over-year growth.”

    First Quarter 2025 Operational Highlights:

    User Base

    • Total number of registered users reached 232 million as of March 31, 2025, representing an increase of 8.1% from 215 million as of March 31, 2024, and users with credit lines reached 46.2 million as of March 31, 2025, up by 7.8% from 42.8 million as of March 31, 2024.
    • Number of active users1 who used our loan products in the first quarter of 2025 was 4.8 million, representing an increase of 6.0% from 4.5 million in the first quarter of 2024.
    • Number of cumulative borrowers with successful drawdown was 34.5 million as of March 31, 2025, an increase of 7.6% from 32.0 million as of March 31, 2024.

    Loan Facilitation Business

    • As of March 31, 2025, we cumulatively originated RMB1,376.7 billion in loans, an increase of 17.6% from RMB1,171.1 billion as of March 31, 2024.
    • Total loan originations2 in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB51.6 billion, a decrease of 11.0% from RMB58.0 billion in the first quarter of 2024.
    • Total outstanding principal balance of loans3 reached RMB107 billion as of March 31, 2025, representing a decrease of 11.7% from RMB122 billion as of March 31, 2024.

    Credit Performance4

    • 90 day+ delinquency ratio was 3.3% as of March 31, 2025, as compared with 3.6% as of December 31, 2024.
    • First payment default rate (30 day+) for new loan originations was below 1% as of March 31, 2025.

    Tech-empowerment Service

    • For the first quarter of 2025, we served over 95 business customers with our tech-empowerment service.
    • In the first quarter of 2025, the business customer retention rate5 of our tech-empowerment service was over 80%.

    Installment E-commerce Platform Service

    • GMV6 in the first quarter of 2025 for our installment e-commerce platform service was RMB1,126 million, representing an increase of 24.7% from RMB903 million in the first quarter of 2024.
    • In the first quarter of 2025, our installment e-commerce platform service served over 310,000 users and 200 merchants.

    Other Operational Highlights

    • The weighted average tenor of loans originated on our platform in the first quarter of 2025 was approximately 13.4 months, as compared with 12.5 months in the first quarter of 2024.
    • Repeated borrowers’ contribution7 of loans across our platform for the first quarter of 2025 was 86.1%.

    First Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights:

    • Total operating revenue was RMB3,104 million, representing a decrease of 4.3% from the first quarter of 2024.
    • Credit facilitation service income was RMB2,191 million, representing a decrease of 17.3% from the first quarter of 2024. Tech-empowerment service income was RMB625 million, representing an increase of 72.8% from the first quarter of 2024. Installment e-commerce platform service income was RMB288 million, representing an increase of 24.4% from the first quarter of 2024.
    • Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company was RMB430 million, representing an increase of over 100% from the first quarter of 2024. Net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company was RMB2.39 on a fully diluted basis.
    • Adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company8 was RMB472 million, representing an increase of over 100% from the first quarter of 2024. Adjusted net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company8 was RMB2.62 on a fully diluted basis.

    __________________________

    1. Active users refer to, for a specified period, users who made at least one transaction during that period through our platform or through our third-party partners’ platforms using the credit line granted by us.
    2. Total loan originations refer to the total principal amount of loans facilitated and originated during the given period.
    3. Total outstanding principal balance of loans refers to the total amount of principal outstanding for loans facilitated and originated at the end of each period, excluding loans delinquent for more than 180 days.
    4. Loans under Intelligent Credit Platform are excluded from the calculation of credit performance. Intelligent Credit Platform (ICP) is an intelligent platform on our “Fenqile” app, under which we match borrowers and financial institutions through big data and cloud computing technology. For loans facilitated through ICP, the Company does not bear principal risk.
    5. Customer retention rate refers to the number of financial institution customers and partners who repurchase our service in the current quarter as a percentage of the total number of financial institution customers and partners in the preceding quarter.
    6. GMV refers to the total value of transactions completed for products purchased on our e-commerce and Maiya channel, net of returns.
    7. Repeated borrowers’ contribution for a given period refers to the principal amount of loans borrowed during that period by borrowers who had previously made at least one successful drawdown as a percentage of the total loan facilitation and origination volume through our platform during that period.
    8. Adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company, adjusted net income per ordinary share and per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company are non-GAAP financial measures. For more information on non-GAAP financial measures, please see the section of “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures Statement” and the tables captioned “Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” set forth at the end of this press release.

    First Quarter 2025 Financial Results:

    Operating revenue was RMB3,104 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB3,242 million in the first quarter of 2024.

    Credit facilitation service income was RMB2,191 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB2,648 million in the first quarter of 2024. The decrease was due to the decrease in guarantee income and loan facilitation and servicing fees-credit oriented, partially offset by the increases in financing income.

    Loan facilitation and servicing fees-credit oriented was RMB1,136 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB1,417 million in the first quarter of 2024. The decrease was primarily due to the decrease in the origination of off-balance sheet loans.

    Guarantee income was RMB548 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB744 million in the first quarter of 2024. The decrease was primarily due to the decrease of outstanding balances in the off-balance sheet loans funded by certain institutional funding partners, which are accounted for under ASC 460, Guarantees.

    Financing income was RMB507 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB487 million in the first quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily driven by the increase in the average outstanding balance of the on-balance-sheet loans.

    Tech-empowerment service income was RMB625 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB362 million in the first quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily driven by the increase of loan facilitation volume through ICP and the increase of referral services.

    Installment e-commerce platform service income was RMB288 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB232 million in the first quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily driven by the increase in transaction volume in the first quarter of 2025.

    Cost of sales consisted of cost of inventory sold and other costs. Cost of sales was RMB262 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB236 million in the first quarter of 2024, which was consistent with the increase in installment e-commerce platform service income.

    Funding cost was RMB83.0 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB90.7 million in the first quarter of 2024. The decrease was primarily driven by the decrease in the funding rates to fund the on-balance sheet loans.

    Processing and servicing costs was RMB551 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB588 million in the first quarter of 2024. The decrease was primarily driven by a decrease in risk management expenses.

    Provision for financing receivables was RMB182 million for the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB137 million for the first quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily due to the increase of the outstanding loan balances of on-balance sheet loans and reflects the most recent performance in relation to on-balance sheet loans.

    Provision for contract assets and receivables was RMB130 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB166 million in the first quarter of 2024. The decrease was primarily driven by the improvement of credit risk performance and the decrease of the outstanding loan balances of off-balance sheet loans.

    Provision for contingent guarantee liabilities was RMB677 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB828 million in the first quarter of 2024. The decrease was primarily driven by the improvement of credit risk performance and the decrease of outstanding balances in the off-balance sheet loans funded by certain institutional funding partners, which are accounted for under ASC 460, Guarantees.

    Gross profit was RMB1,219 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB1,197 million in the first quarter of 2024.

    Sales and marketing expenses was RMB493 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB418 million in the first quarter of 2024. This increase was primarily due to an increase in online advertising costs.

    Research and development expenses was RMB156 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB135 million in the first quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily due to increased investment in technology development.

    General and administrative expenses was RMB101 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB89.8 million in the first quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily due to the increase in personnel related costs.

    Change in fair value of financial guarantee derivatives and loans at fair value was a gain of RMB74.6 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to a loss of RMB316 million in the first quarter of 2024. The change was primarily driven by the fair value gains realized as a result of the release of guarantee obligation as loans are repaid, partially offset by the fair value loss from the re-measurement of the expected loss rates.

    Income tax expense was RMB101 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to income tax benefit of RMB53.4 million in the first quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily due to the increase in income before income tax expense.

    Net income was RMB430 million in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to RMB202 million in the first quarter of 2024.

    Recent Development

    Updated Dividend Policy

    In the third quarter of 2024, the Board of the Company approved to raise the cash dividend payout ratio to 25% of total net income, effective from January 1, 2025. On May 19, 2025, the Board has further approved an updated dividend policy, under which the cash dividend payout will be increased to 30% of total net income, to be paid semi-annually starting from the second half of 2025.

    Business Outlook

    Looking ahead, while our performance continues to demonstrate positive momentum, we remain prudent in light of ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties. Based on our preliminary assessment, we expect net income for the full year 2025 to achieve a significant year-over-year growth driven by continued improvements in asset quality. The forecast is subject to the impact of macroeconomic factors, and we may adjust the performance outlook as appropriate based on evolving circumstances.

    Conference Call

    The Company’s management will host an earnings conference call at 10:00 PM U.S. Eastern time on May 21, 2025 (10:00 AM Beijing/Hong Kong time on May 22, 2025).

    Participants who wish to join the conference call should register online at:

    https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI0dc0f8f7695c4583bd50587c8b103490

    Once registration is completed, each participant will receive the dial-in number and a unique access PIN for the conference call.

     Participants joining the conference call should dial in at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start time.

     A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.lexin.com.

    About LexinFintech Holdings Ltd.

    We are a leading credit technology-empowered personal financial service enabler. Our mission is to use technology and risk management expertise to make financing more accessible for young generation consumers. We strive to achieve this mission by connecting consumers with financial institutions, where we facilitate through a unique model that includes online and offline channels, installment consumption platform, big data and AI driven credit risk management capabilities, as well as smart user and loan management systems. We also empower financial institutions by providing cutting-edge proprietary technology solutions to meet their needs of financial digital transformation.

    For more information, please visit http://ir.lexin.com.

    To follow us on Twitter, please go to: https://twitter.com/LexinFintech.

    Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures Statement

    In evaluating our business, we consider and use adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company, non-GAAP EBIT, adjusted net income per ordinary share and per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company, four non-GAAP measures, as supplemental measures to review and assess our operating performance. The presentation of the non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We define adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company as net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company excluding share-based compensation expenses, interest expense associated with convertible notes, and investment income/(loss) and we define non-GAAP EBIT as net income excluding income tax expense, share-based compensation expenses, interest expense, net, and investment income/(loss).

    We present these non-GAAP financial measures because they are used by our management to evaluate our operating performance and formulate business plans. Adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company enables our management to assess our operating results without considering the impact of share-based compensation expenses, interest expense associated with convertible notes, and investment income/(loss). Non-GAAP EBIT, on the other hand, enables our management to assess our operating results without considering the impact of income tax expense, share-based compensation expenses, interest expense, net, and investment income/(loss). We also believe that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures facilitates investors’ assessment of our operating performance. These non-GAAP financial measures are not defined under U.S. GAAP and are not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

    These non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as an analytical tool. One of the key limitations of using adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company and non-GAAP EBIT is that they do not reflect all items of income and expense that affect our operations. Share-based compensation expenses, interest expense associated with convertible notes, income tax expense, interest expense, net, and investment income/(loss) have been and may continue to be incurred in our business and are not reflected in the presentation of adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company and non-GAAP EBIT. Further, these non-GAAP financial measures may differ from the non-GAAP financial information used by other companies, including peer companies, and therefore their comparability may be limited.

    We compensate for these limitations by reconciling each of the non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure, which should be considered when evaluating our performance. We encourage you to review our financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure.

    Exchange Rate Information Statement

    This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars (“US$”) at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from RMB to US$ were made at the rate of RMB7.2567 to US$1.00, the exchange rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board on March 31, 2025. The Company makes no representation that the RMB or US$ amounts referred could be converted into US$ or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Lexin’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “ expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “confident” and similar statements. Among other things, the expectation of the collection efficiency and delinquency, business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, contain forward-looking statements. Lexin may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Lexin’s goal and strategies; Lexin’s expansion plans; Lexin’s future business development, financial condition and results of operations; Lexin’s expectation regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, its credit and investment management products; Lexin’s expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationship with borrowers, institutional funding partners, merchandise suppliers and other parties it collaborates with; general economic and business conditions; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Lexin’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Lexin does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

    LexinFintech Holdings Ltd.
    IR inquiries:
    Will Tan
    Tel: +86 (755) 3637-8888 ext. 6258
    E-mail: willtan@lexin.com

    Media inquiries:
    Ruifeng Xu
    Tel: +86 (755) 3637-8888 ext. 6993
    E-mail: media@lexin.com

    SOURCE LexinFintech Holdings Ltd.

    LexinFintech Holdings Ltd.
    Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets    		  
      As of  
    (In thousands) December 31, 2024   March 31, 2025  
      RMB   RMB   US$  
    ASSETS            
    Current Assets            
    Cash and cash equivalents   2,254,213     3,173,298     437,292  
    Restricted cash   1,638,479     1,545,269     212,944  
    Restricted term deposit and short-term investments   138,497     218,490     30,109  
    Short-term financing receivables, net(1)   4,668,715     4,743,393     653,657  
    Short-term contract assets and receivables, net(1)   5,448,057     5,009,319     690,303  
    Deposits to insurance companies and guarantee companies   2,355,343     2,203,109     303,597  
    Prepayments and other current assets   1,321,340     1,347,805     185,732  
    Amounts due from related parties   61,722     77,239     10,644  
    Inventories, net   22,345     19,341     2,665  
    Total Current Assets   17,908,711     18,337,263     2,526,943  
    Non-current Assets            
    Restricted cash   100,860     80,464     11,088  
    Long-term financing receivables, net(1)   112,427     92,087     12,690  
    Long-term contract assets and receivables, net(1)   317,402     350,993     48,368  
    Property, equipment and software, net   613,110     636,939     87,773  
    Land use rights, net   862,867     854,267     117,721  
    Long-term investments   284,197     244,193     33,651  
    Deferred tax assets   1,540,842     1,589,522     219,042  
    Other assets   500,363     433,738     59,772  
    Total Non-current Assets   4,332,068     4,282,203     590,105  
    TOTAL ASSETS   22,240,779     22,619,466     3,117,048  
                 
    LIABILITIES            
    Current liabilities            
    Accounts payable   74,443     63,294     8,722  
    Amounts due to related parties   10,927     9,124     1,257  
    Short-term borrowings and current portion of long-term borrowings   690,772     781,324     107,669  
    Short-term funding debts   2,754,454     3,207,177     441,961  
    Deferred guarantee income   975,102     1,158,164     159,599  
    Contingent guarantee liabilities   1,079,000     769,397     106,026  
    Accruals and other current liabilities   4,019,676     3,909,239     538,708  
    Total Current Liabilities   9,604,374     9,897,719     1,363,942  
    Non-current Liabilities            
    Long-term borrowings   585,024     505,408     69,647  
    Long-term funding debts   1,197,211     891,390     122,837  
    Deferred tax liabilities   91,380     102,617     14,141  
    Other long-term liabilities   22,784     14,006     1,930  
    Total Non-current Liabilities   1,896,399     1,513,421     208,555  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES   11,500,773     11,411,140     1,572,497  
    Shareholders’ equity:            
    Class A Ordinary Shares   205     205     30  
    Class B Ordinary Shares   41     41     7  
    Treasury stock   (328,764 )   (305,025 )   (42,034 )
    Additional paid-in capital   3,314,866     3,331,382     459,077  
    Statutory reserves   1,178,309     1,178,309     162,375  
    Accumulated other comprehensive income   (29,559 )   (31,818 )   (4,385 )
    Retained earnings   6,604,908     7,035,232     969,481  
    Total shareholders’ equity   10,740,006     11,208,326     1,544,551  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY   22,240,779     22,619,466     3,117,048  

    __________________________
    (1)  Short-term financing receivables, net of allowance for credit losses of RMB102,124 and RMB118,804 as of December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025, respectively.

    Short-term contract assets and receivables, net of allowance for credit losses of RMB409,590 and RMB287,845 as of December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025, respectively.

    Long-term financing receivables, net of allowance for credit losses of RMB1,820 and RMB1,471 as of December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025, respectively.

    Long-term contract assets and receivables, net of allowance for credit losses of RMB30,919 and RMB20,519 as of December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025, respectively.

    LexinFintech Holdings Ltd.
    Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations    		  
      For the Three Months Ended March 31,  
    (In thousands, except for share and per share data) 2024   2025  
      RMB   RMB   US$  
    Operating revenue:            
    Credit facilitation service income   2,648,478     2,190,866     301,910  
    Loan facilitation and servicing fees-credit oriented   1,417,248     1,136,229     156,577  
    Guarantee income   744,251     547,814     75,491  
    Financing income   486,979     506,823     69,842  
    Tech-empowerment service income   361,543     624,850     86,107  
    Installment e-commerce platform service income   231,909     288,383     39,740  
    Total operating revenue   3,241,930     3,104,099     427,757  
    Operating cost            
    Cost of sales   (235,747 )   (262,032 )   (36,109 )
    Funding cost   (90,738 )   (83,004 )   (11,438 )
    Processing and servicing cost   (587,731 )   (551,141 )   (75,949 )
    Provision for financing receivables   (136,683 )   (182,149 )   (25,101 )
    Provision for contract assets and receivables   (165,942 )   (129,685 )   (17,871 )
    Provision for contingent guarantee liabilities   (828,377 )   (677,180 )   (93,318 )
    Total operating cost   (2,045,218 )   (1,885,191 )   (259,786 )
    Gross profit   1,196,712     1,218,908     167,971  
    Operating expenses:            
    Sales and marketing expenses   (417,617 )   (493,128 )   (67,955 )
    Research and development expenses   (134,982 )   (155,626 )   (21,446 )
    General and administrative expenses   (89,760 )   (100,753 )   (13,884 )
    Total operating expenses   (642,359 )   (749,507 )   (103,285 )
    Change in fair value of financial guarantee derivatives and loans at fair value   (315,923 )   74,639     10,286  
    Interest expense, net   (3,904 )   (4,702 )   (648 )
    Investment income/(loss)   90     (11,699 )   (1,612 )
    Others, net   20,425     3,832     528  
    Income before income tax expense   255,041     531,471     73,240  
    Income tax expense   (53,418 )   (101,147 )   (13,938 )
    Net income   201,623     430,324     59,302  
    Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company   201,623     430,324     59,302  
                 
    Net income per ordinary share attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company            
    Basic   0.61     1.27     0.18  
    Diluted   0.60     1.20     0.16  
                 
    Net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company            
    Basic   1.22     2.55     0.35  
    Diluted   1.21     2.39     0.33  
                 
    Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding            
    Basic   330,277,142     338,073,723     338,073,723  
    Diluted   333,650,104     359,646,902     359,646,902  
    LexinFintech Holdings Ltd.
    Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
      For the Three Months Ended March 31,  
    (In thousands) 2024   2025  
      RMB   RMB   US$  
    Net income   201,623     430,324     59,302  
    Other comprehensive income            
    Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of nil tax   2,323     (2,259 )   (311 )
    Total comprehensive income   203,946     428,065     58,991  
    Total comprehensive income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company   203,946     428,065     58,991  
    LexinFintech Holdings Ltd.
    Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results    		  
      For the Three Months Ended March 31,  
    (In thousands, except for share and per share data) 2024   2025  
      RMB   RMB   US$  
    Reconciliation of Adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company to Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company            
    Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company   201,623     430,324     59,302  
    Add: Share-based compensation expenses   23,274     29,541     4,071  
    Interest expense associated with convertible notes   5,322     –     –  
    Investment (income)/loss   (90 )   11,699     1,612  
    Adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company   230,129     471,564     64,985  
                 
    Adjusted net income per ordinary share attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company            
    Basic   0.70     1.39     0.19  
    Diluted   0.68     1.31     0.18  
                 
    Adjusted net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company            
    Basic   1.39     2.79     0.38  
    Diluted   1.35     2.62     0.36  
                 
    Weighted average shares used in calculating net income per ordinary share for non-GAAP EPS            
    Basic   330,277,142     338,073,723     338,073,723  
    Diluted   339,997,043     359,646,902     359,646,902  
                 
    Reconciliations of Non-GAAP EBIT to Net income            
    Net income   201,623     430,324     59,302  
    Add: Income tax expense   53,418     101,147     13,938  
    Share-based compensation expenses   23,274     29,541     4,071  
    Interest expense, net   3,904     4,702     648  
    Investment (income)/loss   (90 )   11,699     1,612  
    Non-GAAP EBIT   282,129     577,413     79,571  


    Additional Credit Information

    Vintage Charge Off Curve1

    Dpd30+/GMV by Performance Windows1

    First Payment Default 30+1

    1. Loans facilitated under ICP are excluded from the chart.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Trading 212 Surpasses A$50 Billion in Client Assets and 4.5 Million Clients, Cementing Position as the UK’s Fastest-Growing Saving and Investment Platform

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Trading 212 has officially reached a major milestone with over A$50 billion in client assets under administration and a thriving community of 4.5 million clients globally, making it the fastest-growing savings and investment platform in the UK.

    By pioneering zero-commission and fractional share investing across the UK and Europe, Trading 212 has transformed access to the financial markets. Millions of people have been empowered to invest without facing the high fees that have historically been a barrier to entry.

    “Our mission has always been to unlock wealth building for everyone,” said Ivan Ashminov, co-founder and chairman of the board of Trading 212. “Reaching this scale is a testament to the trust our clients place in us and to the value we bring through innovation, accessibility, and transparency.”

    With continued momentum, Trading 212 remains committed to reshaping the future of personal finance by breaking down barriers and delivering market-leading tools for everyday investors or savers.

    About Trading 212

    Trading 212 is a fintech company on a mission to unlock wealth building for everyone. Known for disrupting the industry with zero-commission investing, intuitive technology, and innovative financial products, the platform offers stocks and ETFs to millions of clients across the UK, Europe and Australia.

    For media inquiries, please contact:
    press@trading212.com
    www.trading212.com

    When investing, your capital is at risk. See terms and fees.

    Other fees may apply.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ Budget 2025: tax cuts and reduced revenues mean the government is banking on business growth

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Sawyer, Professor of Taxation, University of Canterbury

    Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

    Not a lot is known about the government’s plans for taxes in the 2025 budget. Few tax policies have been announced so far, and what has been revealed involves targeted tax cuts for business interests.

    This is a big change from last year’s tax announcements, which were largely focused on individuals.

    So far this year, the government has announced tax policies to encourage overseas investment and to make employee share schemes for start-ups and unlisted companies more attractive.

    This week, the government also announced the demise of the Digital Services Tax – which Treasury estimated would be worth more than NZ$100 million a year – after threats of retaliation from US President Donald Trump.

    But each of these policies would result in a drop in tax revenue. That raises a key question: where will the money to run the government come from when two successive budgets have included tax revenue cuts?

    Overseas money for investment

    This month, the government announced a commitment of $75 million over the next four years to encourage foreign investment in infrastructure and make it easier for startups to attract and retain high quality staff.

    Broken down, this would be $65 million for a change to the rules around “thin capitalisation”, pending the outcome of consultation on the details. At a basic level, this policy is targeting how much debt companies with overseas subsidiaries can have when investing in New Zealand infrastructure.

    The other $10 million is earmarked as a deferral of tax liability for some employee share schemes to help startups and unlisted companies.

    The goal of both policies seems to be to encourage international investment in New Zealand to boost growth in our otherwise sluggish economy.

    The government’s ‘Growth Budget’ is set to include policy changes that will see drops in tax revenue.
    Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

    No digital services tax

    The demise of the digital services tax is the other big tax policy to be announced ahead of today’s budget.

    Left over from the previous Labour government, the policy would have applied a 3% tax on digital services revenue earned from New Zealand customers by global tech giants such as Meta, X and Google (many of which are based in the US).

    But Donald Trump has been highly critical of these sorts of levies, describing them as overseas extortion. Revenue Minister Simon Watts has admitted Trump’s objections were part of the decision to scrap the tax.

    While the government will save the money set aside in last year’s budget for administrative costs, the potential tax revenue will be a big loss. Treasury had previously forecast New Zealand would gain $479m in tax revenue from the levy between 2027 and 2029.

    But Watts said, “the forecast revenues from the introduction of a Digital Services Tax no longer meet the criteria for inclusion in the Crown accounts”.

    A hole in revenue

    When it comes to tax, the pre-budget announcements will all involve costs to the government or drops in revenue.

    There are rumours the budget will include changes to the companies tax. But, if anything, this will be a drop in the amount of tax companies pay. So again, a drop in tax revenue.

    The challenge facing the government is where the money to operate comes from. And the choices it has are limited.

    Firstly, it could increase tax elsewhere. But that would require either a reversal of last year’s income tax cuts, or the long-standing policy not to target wealth – such as with a capital gains tax.

    Or, the government could make drastic cuts to spending. And, considering the announcement that this year’s budget would be tight, with over a $1 billion cut from the government’s discretionary operating spending (known as an operating allowance), this seems to be the path they have taken, at least partially.

    The final option would be to borrow now to boost infrastructure and business investment in the hope that resulting economic growth will generate greater revenue later.

    We won’t know the answers to these questions until Budget 2025 is released, and there have been a lot of mixed messages. Considering Finance Minister Nicola Willis has dubbed this a “Growth Budget”, however, it seems likely the focus will be on encouraging investment and growth through business activity, rather than any tax increases.

    Adrian Sawyer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. NZ Budget 2025: tax cuts and reduced revenues mean the government is banking on business growth – https://theconversation.com/nz-budget-2025-tax-cuts-and-reduced-revenues-mean-the-government-is-banking-on-business-growth-257229

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Rural waste workshop coming to Canterbury

    Source: PISA results continue to show more to be done for equity in education

    Date:

    About the speaker

    Trish has over 20 years of national and international teaching experience combined with 15 years of dairy farming. Over the last 10 years, she has completed:

    • PG Cert in Circular Economy, Business and Innovation,
    • Diploma in Agribusiness
    • Kellogg Rural Leader Project on Reducing Farm Waste.

    Event details

    Trish Rankin – Rural leader and dairy farmer

    RSVP: Register via our

    online form or email us at events@ecan.govt.nz by Monday 16 June.

    Environment Canterbury © 2025
    Retrieved: 10:49am, Thu 22 May 2025
    ecan.govt.nz/get-involved/news-and-events/2025/rural-waste-workshop-coming-to-canterbury/

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Stay warmer for cheaper this winter

    Source: PISA results continue to show more to be done for equity in education

    Date:

    Burn good, dry wood

    Good quality, dry wood will get and keep your fire roaring. However, not all woods are equal. Some burn hotter and produce less smoke. Plantation pine, Douglas fir and blue gum are the best locally available timbers, while old man pine can be smoky, and is best suited for kindling or mixed with other woods.

    A great way to get your firewood is to buy from one of our Trusted Good Wood Merchants. We audit these Waitaha/Canterbury firewood sellers regularly to ensure they’re selling good, dry wood; moisture testing is part of our audit process. 

    Plantation pine, Douglas fir and blue gum are quicker-drying woods.

    Check your burning technique

    Using good wood burning technique makes a big difference. Many of us were taught to build a fire in a pyramid shape, with kindling on the bottom and big logs on the top. But the upside-down method (also known as the Swiss method), with big logs on the bottom and kindling on top, lasts longer and is more efficient. Check out this step by step guide to learn how to burn better.

    A well-maintained burner

    If you keep your wood burner well maintained and the flue/chimney clean you will decrease your chances of a smoky chimney. Do not burn treated timber, driftwood or rubbish, as these can clog your chimney and increase pollution in the air. A buildup of chimney soot can also be a fire risk (the kind of fire you don’t want!) and reduce the burner’s efficiency. Check out this handy burner maintenance checklist for more good advice. 

    Financial assistance

    We know it’s a tough time out there for many people, and, if you meet the criteria, you may be eligible for financial assistance towards the cost of a new heat pump, ultra-low emission burner, or insulation upgrades.

    If you have any questions or want to find out more, phone us on 0800 324 636.

    Environment Canterbury © 2025
    Retrieved: 10:49am, Thu 22 May 2025
    ecan.govt.nz/get-involved/news-and-events/2025/stay-warmer-for-cheaper-this-winter/

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Property Market – Broader market signals point to a steady upturn – Cotality

    Source: Cotality

    New Zealand’s property market continues to point to signs of recovery, according to new data from Cotality NZ’s latest Monthly Chart Pack.

    Kelvin Davidson, Chief Property Economist at Cotality, said property sales volumes have been gradually trending upward for nearly two years.

    In April, sales rose 4% compared to a year earlier – lifting activity to 7% above the historical norm for this time of year. Falling mortgage rates have clearly supported this momentum, according to Mr. Davidson.
    “Sales activity has been on a steady incline, and we’re now starting to see this translate into home values,” Mr Davidson said.
    The Cotality Home Value Index rose 0.3% in April – the fourth consecutive monthly increase – although growth remains modest. Among the main centres, Hamilton and Christchurch led the gains, while Dunedin, Wellington and Tauranga showed flatter results.
    “Despite these signs of improvement, the market remains tilted in favour of buyers,” Mr Davidson noted.
    “Stock levels are still elevated by historical standards, which will likely keep price growth in check.”
    Mortgaged multiple property owners are also regaining ground. This group accounted for 24% of April’s sales – the highest share in more than three years. Lower mortgage rates are reducing cashflow shortfalls, improving the financial appeal of property investment.
    Looking ahead, Mr Davidson said the outlook for 2025 remains cautiously positive.
    “We’re expecting a moderate upswing, with national property values forecast to rise around 5% for the year,” he said.
    “Lower mortgage rates will be a key driver. But we’re also watching the wider economy, the labour market, and the impact of lending restrictions, particularly debt-to-income limits.”
     
    Highlights from the May 2025 Housing Chart Pack include:

    New Zealand’s residential real estate market is worth a combined $1.64 trillion.

    The CoreLogic Home Value Index shows property values across New Zealand increased 0.3% in April. Over the three months to April, there was a 0.9% rise in median property values across NZ.
    The total sales count over the 12 months to April is 84,226.
    Total listings on the market were 31,035 in April. The total number of properties listed on the market remains elevated, although the seasonal fall for new listings flows means that agreed sales have just started to eat into stock levels a little in the past few weeks.
    On rents, the pace of growth remains subdued, with net migration having fallen a long way from its peak, and the stock of available rental listings on the market still elevated.
    Gross rental yields now stand at 3.9%, which is the highest level since mid-2015.
    Inflation is firmly back in the 1–3% target range, and after April’s 0.25% cut, further OCR reductions seem likely in the coming months.
    The Chart of the Month shows that First Home Buyers are taking advantage of multiple funding options to get a foot on the property ladder – making up 27% of property purchases in April.

    For more property news and insights, visit www.corelogic.co.nz/news-research.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Budget 2025 – Unions to hold Budget Day Hui for Pay Equity

    Source: NZCTU

    The union movement are today hosting a Budget Day Hui to fight back against the Government’s decision to gut the Equal Pay Act and destroy decades of progress towards achieving pay equity.

    The hui will take place from 1pm at Parliament and will feature speeches from workers who have been impacted by the pay equity changes. Some of the speakers will be available to speak with media.

    “The Government is set to unveil a Budget that makes the wealthiest New Zealanders even richer, paid for by taking money from some of the lowest paid women,” said NZCTU Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges. 

    “Over the last few weeks, we have seen overwhelming opposition from across our society to the Government’s cruel actions.

    “Today workers, community groups and the public are coming together to send a message to the Government that they will not get away with effectively ending pay equity in Aotearoa,” said Ansell-Bridges.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Solomon Islands – MRD officially welcomes new Minister of Rural Development

    Source: Government of the Solomon Islands – Ministry of Rural Development (MRD)

    The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) officially welcomed its new Minister, Honourable Daniel Waneoroa, on May 14, 2025, with assured support and a commitment to drive the ministry’s key priorities and policies forward.

    Honourable Minister Waneoroa, MP for North Malaita Constituency, assumed the helm of Rural Development and the ministerial portfolio following his swearing-in on May 2, 2025, before the Governor-General, His Excellency Sir Reverend David Tiva Kapu.

    He replaced former Honourable Minister Rollen Seleso.

    During the introductory and welcome ceremony, Permanent Secretary John Niroa Misite’e acknowledged Hon. Waneoroa for accepting the responsibility of leading the ministry.

    PS Misite’e stated that the senior management and staff are pleased to have him as their new Minister.

    He assured that the ministry is ready to provide the necessary support to advance its key priorities and ensure services are delivered to our rural communities.

    Meanwhile, Hon. Minister Waneoroa expressed his appreciation to PS Misite’e, management, and staff for the warm welcome extended to him.

    Hon. Waneoroa said he is pleased to join MRD as Minister and to be part of a young and vibrant team that continues to deliver services to our rural people and support development initiatives across the country.

    He added that he looks forward to working closely with everyone to achieve the best outcomes for our rural communities through the ministry’s plans and key priorities for this year and beyond.

    The Minister also reaffirmed his political commitment to driving the ministry’s important policies and development initiatives for the benefit of every citizen of Solomon Islands.

    “MRD is a small ministry but with a significant footprint, and I am happy to join the ministry to help our country develop in our rural communities,” he said.

    The Minister also thanked PS Misite’e for his leadership and staff for their ongoing commitment and dedication to serving the nation over the years.

    He further stated that, as a new Minister, he is devoted to supporting the ministry’s ongoing legislative reforms and the implementation of the new CDF legislation for better governance.

    In response, PS Misite’e confirmed that the Ministry and its staff look forward to working with the Minister to continue the legislative and policy initiatives already underway.

    Honourable Minister Waneoroa is the current MP for North Malaita Constituency.

    Prior to his successful election to Parliament in the 2024 national election, Waneoroa, a university graduate, worked as a Planning Specialist for the Ministry of Provincial Government based in Auki, Malaita Province.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –